ANKARA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The first Turkish-owned ship has passed through the Strait of Hormuz after receiving permission from Iranian authorities, Türkiye's Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said Friday, noting that 14 others are still waiting in the area.
"We had 15 ships there; we obtained permission for one of them because it had used an Iranian port," Uraloglu told journalists during an iftar gathering.
The minister said that Türkiye had declared the highest level of security alert for the strait amid rising regional tensions following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Around 800 vessels of various classes, including six cruise ships with passengers, are waiting in the strait, according to Uraloglu. The Turkish-owned vessels in the area have 171 personnel on board, he said.
The minister added that Türkiye remains in constant contact with the vessels and Iranian authorities regarding the passage of the remaining ships.
As a key artery for global trade, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted following the recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, leaving many vessels trapped near the strait.
