US waits for Iran reply, Qatari tanker heads for strait
Relative calm has settled around the Strait of Hormuz after days of sporadic flare-ups as the United States awaits Iran’s response to its latest overtures to end more than two months of fighting and begin peace talks.
The United States expects a response within hours, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.
But a day later, there was no sign of movement from Iran on the proposal to formally end the war before talks on more controversial issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker was heading towards the strait for Pakistan on Saturday, according to LSEG shipping data. It was stated that this move was approved by Iran in order to build trust with Qatar and Pakistan, which was a mediator in the war.
If completed, this will be the first passage of a Qatari LNG ship through the strait since the start of the conflict.
With US President Donald Trump set to visit China next week, pressure is mounting to draw a line under the war that has roiled energy markets and posed a growing threat to the world economy.
Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the strait since a ceasefire began a month ago, and the United Arab Emirates came under attack again on Friday.
According to Iran’s Fars news agency, sporadic clashes took place between Iranian forces and US ships in the strait on Friday.
Tasnim news agency later quoted an Iranian military source as saying that the situation had calmed down but warned that new clashes were possible.
The US military said that two Iranian-linked ships trying to enter the Iranian port were hit, and a US warplane hit the funnels of these ships and forced them to turn back.
The UAE said its air defenses engaged two ballistic missiles and three drones from Iran on Friday, leaving three people with moderate injuries.
Iran has repeatedly targeted the UAE and other Gulf states that host US military bases.
In what the UAE described as a major escalation, Iran stepped up its attacks this week and paused them 48 hours later in response to Trump’s announcement of a “Project Freedom” to escort ships in the strait.
While Trump said on Thursday that the ceasefire announced on April 7 continues despite the flare-ups, Iran accused the United States of violating the ceasefire.
“Whenever a diplomatic solution is on the table, the United States prefers a reckless military adventure,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday. he said.
