Iran Can’t Locate Strait of Hormuz Mines, Toll Plan Stalled

Iran has been unable to locate several sea mines it placed in the Strait of Hormuz after strikes on Feb. 28. The devices were scattered from small boats, and many were not recorded with reliable coordinates, officials say. Without precise locations, some mines can drift with currents and weather through busy shipping lanes.

Iranian authorities said they would allow vessels to pass but only “with due consideration of technical limitations.” U.S. officials interpret that phrase as a reference to Tehran’s inability to find and clear the mines it deployed.

Since a ceasefire took effect on the evening of April 7, multiple commercial ships have transited the strait, including four energy tankers and several bulk carriers and container ships carrying dry cargo. Neither side currently has fast, large-scale mine-removal capability to guarantee continuous safe traffic.

The mine problem affects a toll system Tehran announced for tankers. Under the plan, laden oil tankers must email cargo details to Iranian authorities and pay $1 per barrel in Bitcoin within seconds. At pre-crisis throughput of about 20 million barrels per day, that fee could amount to roughly $7.3 billion a year, but uncharted, drifting mines keep such revenue theoretical while the strait remains only partially open.

Senior delegations are meeting in Islamabad to negotiate a truce and conditions for reopening the waterway. The U.S. team is led by Vice President J.D. Vance and includes private-sector figures. Iran’s delegation is led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. President Trump has demanded the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the strait as a condition for the ceasefire to hold. The ceasefire is set to expire on April 22.

The closure and restricted shipping have disrupted fertilizer and aluminum supply chains and increased costs for industries that rely on steady maritime trade. Shipping companies and insurers are facing higher risk until mines are located and removed or until an inspection and verification regime is established.

Clearing the mines requires locating drifting devices, surveying large areas to map hazards, and deploying mine-countermeasure ships and divers for systematic sweeping and removal. Without precise placement records, each transit through the strait carries uncertainty. Naval and commercial salvage assets would likely be needed for sustained clearance operations.

Negotiators in Islamabad are expected to discuss whether to establish a verified plan for sustained mine clearance and monitored reopening before the ceasefire expires.