Bahlil Reports Positive Developments at Strait of Hormuz: Intermittent Opening, But Not for US-Israel
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Lahadalia Bahlil, reported positive developments at the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has begun permitting tanker vessels to transit the region. “Alhamdulillah, even as we find ourselves in geopolitical conditions where, to date, there are still no signs the Middle East conflict has ended, we have received some encouraging news regarding the Strait of Hormuz. There are now emerging policies for opening and closing operations,” he stated at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday (17 March 2026).
Iran had previously blockaded the Strait of Hormuz in response to escalating conflict with the United States and Israel, rendering the shipping corridor unsafe for commercial vessels. This situation disrupted global energy supplies and triggered sharp increases in oil prices.
However, Bahlil noted that Iran is now beginning to relax access at the strategic strait through the implementation of phased maritime traffic regulations. Vessels are beginning to transit, though Israeli and American-flagged ships are explicitly excluded.
“For vessels and countries that are neither Israel nor America, communication can now occur. This is genuinely a positive development,” he stated.
Currently, two vessels belonging to PT Pertamina International Shipping (PIS) remain stranded in the Arab Gulf: the VLCC Pertamina Pride and the Gamsunoro. The Gamsunoro carries cargo for third-party consumers, whilst the VLCC Pertamina Pride transports crude oil supplies for Indonesia’s domestic energy requirements.
Bahlil indicated the government is continuing negotiations with Iran alongside Pertamina to facilitate passage of both vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. “We are still in negotiations. There is a lengthy queue. Negotiations are ongoing. Please give us time, negotiations are still underway,” Bahlil concluded.