Analysis/ Why the US and Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz for the Russian tycoon's yacht

2026-04-28 20:47:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Analysis/ Why the US and Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz for the Russian

A yacht owned by Russian billionaire Alexei Mordashov was able to sail through the blocked Strait of Hormuz because neither Iran nor the US objected.

As analyzed by foreign media, it is unclear how the 142-meter-long multi-deck ship Nord, worth more than $500 million, was allowed to sail through the waterway, at the heart of the US-Iran war. Traffic in the strait has been virtually halted since the start of the war on February 28.

Sailing under the Russian flag, the yacht sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on an approved route in accordance with international maritime law.

Foreign sources indicate that Iran did not interfere with the movements of the yacht, as it is a civilian ship of a friendly country making a peaceful passage. The American side also did not raise questions about the movement of the yacht, as it did not approach Iranian ports and has nothing to do with Iran. Alexei Mordashov is known as a close associate of Putin.

The yacht sailed from a marina in Dubai, crossed the Strait in the morning and arrived in Muscat early Sunday morning, according to data on the MarineTraffic platform.

Since the war began, only a small number of mostly commercial ships have sailed through the critical waterway at the entrance to the Gulf on a daily basis, as Washington and Tehran have been in a fragile truce. That represents a fraction of the average of 125 to 140 daily crossings before Iran's war began on February 28.

The $500 million superyacht Nord, linked to Alexey Mordashov, reportedly passed through the Strait of Hormuz via a safe lane designated by Iran near Larak Island amid ongoing maritime restrictions.

Russia and Iran are early allies and have grown closer in recent years, including through a 2025 treaty that promotes intelligence sharing and security cooperation.

Mordashov, known as a close associate of Putin, is not officially listed as the owner of the Nord yacht. However, Russian shipping records and corporate records from 2025 show that the vessel was registered in the name of a Russian company owned by his wife in 2022. That company is registered in the Russian city of Cherepovets, where Mordashov's Severstal steel plant is also registered.