A superyacht linked to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's main allies has sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, despite the ongoing blockade of this vital shipping channel, the BBC writes.
The 142m luxury yacht Nord, believed to belong to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, traveled from Dubai to Muscat, Oman at the weekend, one of the few private vessels to transit the strait in recent months.
Iran held high-level talks with Russia this week as the standoff with the US over the reopening of the strait continues.
About one-fifth of the global supply of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) normally goes by waterway.
Mordashov, who has close ties to Putin, is not listed as the official owner of the luxury yacht. However, Nord's records indicate that it was registered in the name of a company owned by his wife in 2022.
The Nord, estimated to be worth more than $500 million, left Dubai on Friday evening and arrived at Al Mouj, a marina in the capital of Oman, on Sunday morning, according to data from the Marine Traffic platform.
Maritime traffic through the Gulf Canal is now at a fraction of pre-war levels.
The conflict contributed to a sharp rise in global oil prices, with benchmark Brent crude rising to $109 (£80) a barrel on Monday.
Iran continued to restrict shipping on this vital waterway after President Donald Trump announced that US forces would impose a blockade on Iranian ports.
The Russian-flagged ship Nord managed to cross the strait, despite the fact that privateers have largely avoided the waterway since the outbreak of hostilities.
As long-term peace talks between the two sides stall, Tehran has this week focused its diplomatic efforts on strengthening its relationship with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted an Iranian delegation in St. Petersburg on Monday, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hailed their “strategic relationship.”
Putin told Araghchi that the Iranian people are “fighting bravely” for their sovereignty in the face of American and Israeli pressure, Russian state news agency Tass reported.
The yacht has a swimming pool, a submarine and a helipad, according to Superyacht Times magazine.
Mordashov has been targeted by Western sanctions, including from the UK, US and European Union, since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Hong Kong and the Maldives have not previously seized the yacht, despite calls from Western nations to freeze Mordashov's assets.
Mordashov is the chairman of the Severstal steel company, with Forbes estimating his net worth at around $37 billion. It is not clear if he was on board the Nord as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
