|
As Iran and the United States maintain rival blockades on the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, we look at the more than 20,000 seafarers stranded on commercial ships since the outbreak of the war and unable to move out of the region. These maritime workers are often working-class men from developing countries across the Global South who form the crews on about 1,500 oil tankers, cargo ships and other vessels currently stuck on the water. Unpaid for several weeks, they lack the visas to disembark in any of the Gulf countries near the ships.
"There is lack of food, there is lack of provisions, there is lack of water," says Mohamed Arrachedi of the International Transport Workers' Federation, joining us from Bilbao, Spain. "The seafarers are just exposed and absolutely vulnerable."
We also speak with Manoj Yadav, general secretary of Forward Seamen's Union of India, who says the mental health of the workers is rapidly deteriorating as many have also lost connection to their families.
"They are trained for serving on board merchant vessels. They are not trained for the war," Yadav says.
|
RELATED ARTICLES | | |
|
The secretary of state held warm meetings with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Leo XIV after the president's repeated criticism of both leaders.
|
|
(First column, 4th story, link)
|
|
(Top headline, 1st story, link)
Related stories:
Key port struck... Major escalation during 'ceasefire'...
FIRST CHINESE TANKER HIT...
Saudi, Kuwait Lift Curbs on U.S. Military Access to Bases, Airspace...
Paves way for 'Project Freedom' to resume...
CIA dossier says Tehran can outlast blockade for months...
Regime still has vast missile arsenal...
|
|
We discuss the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft's Trita Parsi. U.S. officials are denying Iranian reports that a U.S. vessel was struck by Iranian missiles amid the two countries' dual blockade of the strait. The warring nations still say they are observing a fragile temporary ceasefire as negotiations continue for a possible longer-term deal. However, says Parsi, "both sides are making maximalist demands," so a diplomatic solution is unlikely. "As long as Trump continues to listen to those forces, the very same forces that also sold him this blockade that has backfired, we're not going to see a diplomatic breakthrough. It requires a far more disciplined and flexible approach to negotiations, and right now we're not seeing that from either side."
|
|
