ISTANBUL

Iran has deployed fewer than 10 naval mines in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to a report released Wednesday by a US-based research institute.

The Institute for the Study of War said Iran appears reluctant to carry out large-scale mining of the waterway despite having the capability to do so.

“Iran’s reticence to deploy the naval mines en masse indicates that while Iran is willing and capable of mining the strait, it remains hesitant to do so due to the far-reaching political and economic costs Iran would incur in doing so,” the institute said.

The report also noted that US Central Command has targeted Iranian naval capabilities in the area.

On March 10, CENTCOM announced the destruction of 16 Iranian minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz as part of ongoing efforts to weaken Iran’s naval forces and limit its ability to threaten commercial shipping.

The institute said a large-scale deployment of naval mines would disrupt international maritime traffic and impose significant costs on Iran itself.

Such a move “would cause major disruptions for all shipping, not just non-Iranian shipping,” the report said.

It added that Iran would face political consequences with China and risk damaging Iraq’s economy if it deployed large numbers of mines.

The institute noted that Iran relies on Iraq’s oil-dependent economy to help circumvent sanctions, meaning major disruption in Iraq could produce negative economic effects for Tehran.