BICOM

A US aircraft carrier sailed through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, the first transit since Iran warned American ships this year against using the strategic waterway.

The US Navy’s 5th Fleet said in a statement that the carrier Abraham Lincoln passed through the narrow waterway into the Persian Gulf “without incident.” The ship was accompanied by British and French naval vessels, a move that officials said was intended to show international support for keeping open the strait, a choke point through which 20% of the world’s oil passes.

Tensions with Iran have intensified in recent months as the US and its allies have imposed new sanctions aimed at forcing Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme. Iran has responded by conducting naval maneuvers and threatening to close the strait.

In related news, EU foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels today, where they are expected to agree new economic sanctions that will be imposed on Iran.

So far the EU, while agreeing in principle to a ban on Iranian oil, is still debating how much time to give refiners to switch to other oil suppliers. Some countries fear higher prices could result from the ban, putting additional pressure on their economies. “It is very important that the European Union take into account the impact of the sanctions on various European economies,” said Gregory Delavekouras, a spokesman for the Greek Foreign Ministry, which has been the most vocal advocate for a slower implementation of the embargo.