Iran Unable to Reopen Hormuz as it Loses Track of Mines it Planted: Report
Iran struggles to reopen the Strait of Hormuz because of the untraceable sea mines, says NYT report, disrupting global shipping and raising geopolitical tensions despite ceasefire
April 11, 2026 - A New York Times (NYT) report citing US officials says that Iran is unable to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz because it cannot locate all the mines it had laid in the water body. These mines had been planted quickly and “haphazardly” using small boats during the conflict which erupted on February 28 in the Middle East involving the US-Israel and Iran.
What is not clear is whether Iran had recorded the placements of the mines it deployed. It is being said that some of the mines whose placements were recorded were allowed to drift which has made tracking them extremely difficult. As a result of this, reports the NYT quoting sources, Iran cannot safely clear the waterway, which is one of the main reasons it has not reopened the Strait fully. Additionally, ships are being warned they could hit unidentified mines, creating major safety risks.
Iran had, on April 9, announced alternative routes for ships. A statement by its IRGC had said, "All ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz are hereby notified that in order to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines...they should take alternative routes for traffic in the Strait of Hormuz".
Even after the ceasefire, the Strait is still effectively restricted and ship traffic is far below normal at around 15 ships versus around 100–130 typical daily, as per reports. Hundreds of vessels are waiting or stranded nearby and avoiding entry because of the untraceable mines leading to safety risks.
More importantly, opening the Hormuz fully is key to fruitful and conclusive peace talks currently on between the two nations in Islamabad particularly with US President Donald Trump’s emphasising on it as a crucial factor.
According to analysts, more delay in reopening the Strait is likely to keep global energy markets unstable and prolong geopolitical tensions even after the ceasefire.
Source: Media Reports
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