U.S. UN Ambassador: No Exclusion of Inspecting Iranian Oil Tankers Bound for China

¬ Media: U.S. Uses Drones to Clear Mines in Strait of Hormuz

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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said that, within the scope of efforts to disrupt Iran’s oil supply, the United States does not rule out inspecting vessels heading to China.

Speaking in an interview with Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Waltz stated: "I’m not going to discuss the timing and sequence of operations, but I want to emphasize: all options remain under consideration."

Previously, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. military is preparing to seize commercial ships and oil tankers linked to Iran in international waters beyond the Middle East region.

On April 13, the U.S. Navy began blocking all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz—the strait responsible for about 20% of global oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas supplies. The U.S. government stated that vessels unrelated to Iran may pass freely through the Strait if they do not pay fees to the Iranian government. Iran has not yet announced such a fee, but has previously mentioned plans along these lines.

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According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Navy is using drones to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to restore shipping in the area.

Earlier, CBS cited unnamed U.S. officials stating that at least 12 mines have been buried in the Strait of Hormuz.

The report stated: "The U.S. Army is employing unmanned surface vessels to assist in clearing potential mines in the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to weaken Iran’s control over sea lanes and begin restoring commercial shipping."

The report noted that both unmanned surface vessels and underwater drones are being used for mine clearance in the strait. These devices are equipped with sonar systems to detect possible mines lying on the seabed. According to U.S. Department of Defense sources, during the mine-clearance operations, both unmanned vessels and remotely operated equipment controlled by operators were deployed.

Source: sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862934362549256/

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