Sea of ​​Hormuz: BBC sees seized ships and blocked tankers visiting Iran.

Now, weeks after Iran allowed the coast to partially reopen – under a ceasefire agreement with the US – the sea is once again calm and fishermen are returning.

One of them, Abdul Rahman, took the BBC inside the nursery to see first-hand how the war has affected life in and around Bandar Abbas.

As we cruised along the coast, two container ships captured by the IRGC in April at the height of the conflict came into view.

At the time, the IRGC said the ships had “operated without necessary authorization and compromised navigation systems” and threatened maritime security.

Despite the ceasefire, the MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, which had signed for Panama and Liberia respectively, were not released.

Dozens of other cargo ships can be seen offshore, awaiting permission from Iranian authorities to pass through the coast.

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

The weathered red walls are a reminder of centuries of struggle for control of the coast. Built in the early 16th century, the Portuguese Empire was central to controlling this vital waterway – until 1622 when Portugal was ousted by Shah Abbas I of Persia, after whom Bandar Abbas was named.