Oil Is Again Flowing Out of Hormuz
But the continued shortfall of refined products means little relief at the pump.
Over the past week, crude oil supplies leaving the Strait of Hormuz have returned nearly to prewar levels, according to shipping firm Kpler. However, refined products like gasoline and diesel are not flowing out of the strait, leading to high prices at the pump for consumers in the United States and Europe. Despite the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and escorting of tankers, there will be little relief for consumers for months.
Saudi Arabia has outperformed its 2025 export numbers, with significant volumes exiting the strait and via the Red Sea. Iran may run out of runway in weeks, with the last tankerloads already emptied. The recovery of energy flows after seven months of war has encouraged Trump administration officials, but refined product flows are still low, contributing to high diesel prices.
The U.S. blockade and Iran's attacks on tankers make a sustainable return to normality unlikely, and a resumption of hostilities could worsen the situation.
Written by urgent.news from Foreign Policy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
