US blockade appears to be blocking Iranian oil - Bloomberg

The US naval blockade appears to be preventing Iranian crude from reaching customers, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing satellite images and maritime analyses.

Around six to eight supertankers loaded with Iranian oil were idling late last week near Chabahar, a port outside the Persian Gulf close to the blockade line, according to the report.

Smaller tankers were also seen nearby, in an area where the US Navy said it had redirected two very large crude carriers it intercepted last week, the report added.

Bloomberg said the buildup suggested Iran was still loading oil onto ships, but traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was near zero and Tehran could soon be forced to shut in production as storage runs out.