July 16, 2026
Two Iranian Oil Tankers Briefly Signal Karachi as Destination, Then U-Turn as US Naval Blockade Takes Effect
Two tankers carrying approximately one million barrels of Iranian crude oil briefly identified Pakistan's Karachi as their next port before reversing course on July 15 as the US naval blockade of Iranian ports went into effect. The Rani and the Amil had signalled Karachi in their transponder data before making the U-turn, illustrating both the pressure on Pakistani energy supplies and the limits of Islamabad's ability to receive Iranian oil without triggering a confrontation with Washington.
