Strait of Hormuz: BBC sees seized ships and stranded tankers on visit to Iran

Now, weeks after Iran allowed the partial reopening of the strait – under a ceasefire agreement with the US that is mostly holding – the sea is calm once more and fishermen are returning.

One of them, Abdol Rahman, took the BBC through the strait for a close-up view of how the war has affected life in and around Bandar Abbas.

As we sailed through the strait, two container ships seized by the IRGC in April, at the height of the conflict, came into view.

At the time, the IRGC said the vessels had endangered maritime security “by operating without the necessary permits and tampering with navigation systems”.

Despite the ceasefire, the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, which were flagged to Panama and Liberia respectively, have not been released.

Dozens of other cargo ships could be seen offshore, waiting for permission from the Iranian authorities to pass through the strait.

As we approached Hormuz Island, 8km (five miles) off the coast of Bandar Abbas, our guide Rahman pointed out an old fortress overlooking the sea.

Its weathered red walls are a reminder that control of the strait has been fought over for centuries. Built in the early 16th Century, it was central to the Portuguese Empire’s control of this vital waterway – until 1622 when Portugal was driven out by Shah Abbas I of Persia, after whom Bandar Abbas is named.