A superyacht owned by Russian billionaire Alexei Mordashov managed to pass through the blocked Strait of Hormuz after maintenance in Dubai because neither Iran nor the United States objected, a source close to Mordashov told Reuters yesterday.
It was unclear how the multi-story pleasure vessel, worth more than $500 million, was allowed to sail through the commercially important strait at the center of the US-Iran conflict on Saturday, where traffic has been severely restricted since February.
The yacht, which flies the Russian flag and is called the "Nord", crossed the strait via an approved route, in accordance with international maritime law, the source said.
"Iran did not interfere with the movement of the yacht, as it is a civilian vessel of a friendly country carrying out peaceful transit. The American side also had no questions regarding the movement of the yacht, as it did not enter Iranian ports and has no connection with Iran," the source said.
Only a handful of vessels, mostly merchant ships, pass through the key waterway at the entrance to the Gulf every day as Washington and Tehran maintain a fragile ceasefire. That is a fraction of the average of 125 to 140 daily crossings before the war with Iran began on February 28. In response, the United States has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports, according to Reuters.
Russia is a long-time ally of Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to St. Petersburg on Monday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following talks with peace mediators in Pakistan and Oman over the weekend.
After crossing the strait, the “Nord” has been near the coast of Oman since Sunday, according to LSEG data.
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