Strait of Hormuz sees record traffic as US-Iran peace talks begin

At least 36 commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, marking a record level since the outbreak of conflict in Iran, according to French daily Le Monde citing maritime analytics company Kpler. The figure represents nearly one-third of the strait's normal peacetime traffic, which averages around 120 vessel crossings per day, suggesting a significant recovery in shipping activity through this critical chokepoint.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most important energy shipping routes. Before the conflict, more than one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas moved through the waterway, which also handles important shipments of grain and consumer goods into the Gulf region. The record traffic suggests renewed confidence in maritime safety through the passage.

The increased vessel transits coincide with renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. US and Iranian negotiators, under Qatari and Pakistani mediation, began direct talks on Sunday at the Buergenstock mountain resort in central Switzerland—the first direct discussions between the two sides since signing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding last week. According to the agreement, the United States and Iran have declared an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and committed to negotiating a final peace agreement within a maximum of 60 days.