It’s the most talked-about, and dangerous, stretch of ocean in the world right now, but at the weekend, a superyacht linked to one of Russia’s richest men made it through the Strait of Hormuz.
Nord, a 142-metre vessel boasting 20 luxurious guest cabins, two helipads and a beauty salon, left Dubai about 6.30pm Friday local time (12:30am Sunday AEST).
It arrived at a port near Muscat, Oman, just under two days later, thereby completing a voyage few have been able to since the war in the Middle East erupted in late February.
Nord, worth an estimated $US500 million ($698 million), has a complex ownership structure, which can be traced to the wife of billionaire Alexei Mordashov.
The 60-year-old oligarch is a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been sanctioned by multiple Western nations, including Australia, in the years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched in 2023.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and oligarch Alexei Mordashov pictured in 2018. (Supplied: kremlin.ru)
The Strait of Hormuz — a narrow stretch of ocean that connects the gulf to the rest of the world — is critical to international shipping.
Around 20 per cent of global oil exports pass through it. Iran closed it on February 28 after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on its territory.
Since then, the US has also begun its own naval blockade. In the months since, several vessels have been attacked in the area.
Subsequently, the price of oil has surged. It’s not clear whether Nord received permission from Iran to travel through the Strait of Hormuz, or who was on board when it made the trip.
Publicly available tracking data of Nord’s journey show it followed a similar path to other vessels Iran has given permission to travel through the waters.
Russia and Iran are close allies, a bond analysts argue is being cemented amid the ongoing war.
Mr Putin hosted a delegation from Tehran in St Petersburg earlier this week, including Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
While a temporary ceasefire is currently in place, peace talks between Iran and the US have stalled, sparking speculation the fighting will erupt again. Nord is among the world’s most luxurious yachts, and can accommodate 36 guests and 42 crew.
It has six decks and counts a swimming pool spa, sauna and gym among its amenities. Mr Mordashov, a mining magnate, is said to be Russia’s richest man (other than Mr Putin), and is estimated to be worth more than $50 billion.