Commercial ships are sailing close to Oman and are being advised by maritime agencies to avoid Iran’s waters around the Strait of Hormuz, with the risk of the conflict between Israel and Iran escalating, shipping sources said on Wednesday.

Iran has in the past threatened to close the critical Strait of Hormuz to traffic in retaliation for Western pressure. Any closure of the strait could restrict trade and affect global oil prices.

In the latest measure, ships sailing towards Hormuz are looking to minimise risks and are sailing close to Oman’s coast for much of the journey.

The Gulf of Oman is 200 miles (320 km) wide – much of it international waters – and is bordered by Oman and Iran, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, which have territorial waters of 12 miles.

Journeys will still need to be made through Hormuz itself, which is 21 miles (33 km) wide at its narrowest point. The two shipping lanes are just 2 miles (3 km) wide in either direction.

A larger cluster of ships was sailing closer to the Omani coast on Wednesday, while mainly Iranian-flagged vessels were sailing within Iranian waters, according to ship-tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform.

“Taking into account that during the past, there have been incidents of violations of freedom of navigation and maritime safety for merchant vessels near the shores of Iran, we strongly suggest that Greek-flagged vessels sail, if possible, away from waters of Iranian jurisdiction when in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman,” the Greek Shipping Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement read by a television presenter on Wednesday that his country will not accept U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for an unconditional surrender, in his first comments since Israel began bombarding Iran on Friday. Iran has responded with deadly barrages across Israel.

Electronic interference with commercial ship navigation systems has surged in recent days around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf, adding to risks for sailors hauling oil cargoes.

Average earnings for the supertankers that carry a maximum of 2 million barrels of oil have surged in recent days to over $50,000 a day from over $20,000 a week ago, according to analysts.

“The regional threat level remains significant as strikes continue from both Iran and Israel,” the multinational, U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces JMIC Information Center said in an advisory, adding that the maritime threat level is elevated.

QatarEnergy has instructed tankers to remain outside the Strait of Hormuz and to enter the Gulf only the day before loading, amid military strikes between nearby Iran and Israel, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) has announced that the country’s foreign trade operations remain stable and uninterrupted, despite ongoing regional conflict.

In an official statement, the ministry affirmed that imports, transit, and the supply of goods with neighboring and regional countries continue as normal. It noted that no unusual fluctuations in the prices of essential commodities have been recorded in domestic markets.

The ministry dismissed recent media reports suggesting instability or shortages as unfounded, adding that trade routes through Central Asia have been reinforced. It further emphasized that strict measures are in place to prevent hoarding and market manipulation.

This announcement comes just days after the Ministry of Finance stated, on the third day of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, that Afghanistan’s borders and customs with Iran remain open, and bilateral trade is proceeding without disruption. The ministry confirmed that commercial cargo operations at border points are ongoing.

In a follow-up notice, the ministry clarified that border crossings and customs checkpoints between Afghanistan and Iran are fully operational.

It explained that temporary closures at Abu Nasr Farahi (Farah Province), Nimroz, and the Iran-facing border on Saturday were due to a national holiday in Iran, and all crossings have since reopened.

The ministry also confirmed that cargo handling at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port is proceeding normally and without issues.

However, the statement acknowledged that military tensions between Iran and Israel remain high, with reciprocal attacks continuing to raise regional concerns. Despite this, Afghan officials stress that trade continuity and market stability remain a top priority, and the government is closely monitoring developments.

A breakthrough in negotiations between customs authorities and traders has led to a temporary exemption from the Certificate of Origin requirement for select Afghan imports, easing a growing trade bottleneck at the Torkham border.

Customs Collector Azood Mehdi confirmed that the agreement was reached after productive discussions with a delegation representing Afghan goods importers.

Under Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) regulations, the Certificate of Origin is typically mandatory for all imports from Afghanistan to verify the provenance of goods. However, a special waiver has now been granted until June 30, 2025, for specific commodities.

The exemption applies to imports into Pakistan of cotton, beans, coal, and soapstone—categories that have faced significant disruption due to non-compliance with documentation requirements.

Prior to the exemption, 667 cargo vehicles carrying these goods were held at the Torkham crossing due to the absence of the certificate.

Under the new arrangement, these consignments will be cleared on the basis of a written affidavit provided by traders, serving as a temporary substitute for the Certificate of Origin. This measure is valid only until the June 30 deadline, after which strict enforcement of FBR documentation rules will resume.

Mehdi emphasized that the waiver is a one-time relief measure and urged traders to ensure full compliance going forward. “This decision reflects our commitment to facilitate trade while upholding regulatory standards,” he said.