President Donald Trump described Tuesday’s discussions on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly as “very productive” and said another meeting was scheduled soon. US envoy Steve Witkoff later clarified that the talks were indirect, with mediators shuttling between the delegations throughout the day. “The mediators will continue their work,” he said.
Oil shipments through Hormuz are increasing despite the restrictions. TankerTrackers estimated crude flows through the strait at 10.35 million BPD, within total flows past the US Navy blockade line of 13 million BPD, double the level less than a month earlier. Saudi crude loadings on its east coast rose sevenfold from a month earlier. The tracker attributed the increase partly to Saudi exports shifting east after pipeline disruption and to daytime Hormuz transits under additional US Central Command protection. It cautioned that many vessels carrying valuable cargo keep their tracking transponders switched off.