First Qatari LNG Tanker Crosses Hormuz Since War Began

A Qatari natural gas tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz into Pakistan on Sunday for the first time since the start of the war with Iran.

The vessel, operated by QatarEnergy, safely passed through the strait and was heading for Pakistan’s Port Qasim, according to data from the analytics firm Kpler. It was the first Qatari ship carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to transit the strait since the Gulf War began on 28 February.

Sources had earlier said the passage was approved by Iran as a confidence-building measure with Qatar and Pakistan, both of which have acted as proxies in the war.

Iranian authorities, however, have said vessels from countries that comply with US sanctions on Iran will face difficulties crossing the strait, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

(reuters, max)