Jakarta. Indonesia revealed Friday that it had finally earned a “positive response” from Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz passage, possibly ending the weeks-long uncertainties over its trapped vessels.

Two tankers belonging to the state oil giant Pertamina have been stuck in the Persian Gulf for weeks. These vessels are unable to exit the body of water. The only way out is the Strait of Hormuz, which has seen traffic disruptions in the aftermath of the Israel-Iran fighting. However, Indonesia finally got some good news. According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl A Mulachela, Jakarta had been in “intense” discussions with Tehran from the get-go, and these talks have borne fruit.

“The development [of the discussions] has yielded a positive response from Iran,” Nabyl told the Jakarta Globe via text.

“The relevant parties are currently following up on the technical and operational aspects.”

Earlier that day, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia admitted that getting the Pertamina tankers out of the Strait of Hormuz was “not easy”, but the negotiations remained underway. He cast off worries over the impact of the Hormuz paralysis on Indonesia’s crude supplies.

“The Middle East only makes up 20% of our crude imports. We have found other crude sources outside the Middle East. Please don’t ask where they come from. If God is willing, we have it all [the supplies],” Bahlil said.

The government has previously stated that it would tap US crude to plug the gap left by the stranded tankers. According to the company’s marine logistics arm Pertamina International Shipping (PIS), one of the tankers — the VLCC Pertamina Pride — was supposed to bring light crude oil to Indonesia. The second stranded vessel, Gamsunoro, was serving a third-party cargo.

Iran holds a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz. Its territorial waters extend into the strait, allowing it to shut down the strategic maritime route to retaliate against the US-Israeli surprise airstrikes in late February. The Strait handles a quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade.

Indonesia’s close neighbor Malaysia has already clinched the Hormuz passage. President Prabowo Subianto will soon host Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss the war, including the subsequent global energy crunch.

“The leaders will exchange views on ASEAN’s joint efforts to mitigate the economic impact of the conflict on the region’s stability and prosperity,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Yvonne Mewengkang told the Globe.

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