Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran threats as traffic slowly picks up and oil prices fall

A number of oil tankers sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday along a United Nations-recommended route, defying threats by Iran that any ship not following its approved route “will be dealt with accordingly.”The passage of the Liberian-flagged vessel — perhaps aptly named the Stoic Warrior — came amid continued uncertainty about the future of the crucial waterway.

A number of oil tankers sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday along a United Nations-recommended route, defying threats by Iran that any ship not following its approved route “will be dealt with accordingly.”

Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscription

Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.

The passage of the Liberian-flagged vessel — perhaps aptly named the Stoic Warrior — came amid continued uncertainty about the future of the crucial waterway. The initial U.S.-Iran agreement included reopening the key trade route, but the two sides have been engaged in public disputes over the terms of that deal.

The initial 60-day agreement brought significant relief to energy markets, the shipping industry and the thousands of sailors stranded in the Persian Gulf. However, it left key questions unresolved, including how traffic would be managed and how mines purportedly laid by Iran would be cleared.