Thailand reaches bilateral deal with Iran for oil tanker passage through Hormuz

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced at a press conference that Thailand has reached a bilateral agreement with Iran to allow Thai oil tankers safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz. 'An agreement has been reached to allow Thai oil tankers to transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz,' the PM stated, citing concerns over fuel imports. The deal represents a pattern of Iran granting selective bilateral Hormuz passage to specific nations — similar to the UN humanitarian carve-out announced days earlier — as a tool of coercive diplomacy to divide international opposition to its Hormuz closure declaration. Thailand is a significant oil importer and is heavily exposed to the energy disruption from the conflict. By securing bilateral passage, Iran demonstrates its ability to selectively enforce the Hormuz closure, rewarding neutral or sympathetic states while maintaining pressure on the US-allied coalition. The deal does not affect the general IRGC closure declaration which remains in force for vessels linked to the US or coalition partners.