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The issue that is now expected to be a central issue in U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, the New York Times (NYT) reported Friday, citing anonymous U.S. officials.
Iran mined strait haphazardly using small boats in March
Iran used small boats to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz in March, shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against the country on Feb. 28, the Times reported.
The mines, combined with Iranian drone and missile threats against vessels, effectively closed the waterway and drove global energy prices sharply higher.
U.S. officials told the Times that Iran's mine-laying effort was haphazard. It is not clear whether Iran recorded where it placed every mine.
And even when locations were recorded, some mines were placed in a way that allowed them to drift or move, according to the officials.
Because small boats were used to deploy the mines and were difficult to track, the U.S. is uncertain precisely how many mines Iran placed in the strait or where they are located.