Last week, the United States and Iran signed a framework agreement aimed at ending the US-Israel war on Iran and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.Navigation through the strait, a global energy chokepoint, has picked up since then, but experts said it will take some time for shipping traffic to return to levels seen before the war began on February 28. Shipping companies and insurers have warned that the strait remains highly dangerous, largely because of fears of sea mines. (Al Jazeera)The warnings follow threats made early in the conflict by Iran, which said various types of naval mines were at its disposal to block the passage of ships through the waterway. While Iran threatened to deploy naval mines, it did not comment on whether its forces had actually planted them. Tehran has used the strait as leverage in the talks with the US as its blockade triggered a global energy crisis.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listUnder the agreement, Iran is required to clear any mines within 30 days as a condition for reopening the strait. France and the United Kingdom are leading the demining effort, backed by allies including Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.What are the different types of naval mines?Naval mines are underwater explosives designed to damage or sink ships.They are relatively cheap to produce but costly to locate and remove. They are among the most effective weapons for disrupting shipping lanes and naval operations.A handful of mines can force vessels to reroute, driving up insurance costs and shutting down busy waterways. Advertisement Naval mines come in different types, including: (Al Jazeera)Bottom mineThese mines sit on the seabed, often in shallow coastal waters, st …
