 "An aerial view of the island of Qeshm, separated from the Iranian mainland by the Clarence Strait, December 10, 2023. File Photo/Reuters")
Iran has reportedly turned back a vessel bound for Pakistan in the Strait of Hormuz after it failed to comply with legal protocols and lacked permission to pass through the key waterway.
The vessel, Selen, was headed to Karachi before it was stopped from passing through the strait by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy.
The development comes after Iran reportedly agreed to Pakistan being the mediator in peace talks with the US.
Tehran has told the United Nations Security Council and the International Maritime Organization that “non-hostile vessels” may transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with Iranian authorities.
The US-Israeli war against Iran has all but halted shipments of about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas through the strait, causing oil supply disruption.
The note from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sent to the 15-member Security Council and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday. It was then circulated on Tuesday among the 176 members of the London-based U.N. shipping agency responsible for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and preventing pollution.
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View AllPakistan to hold peace talks?
Pakistan will host peace talks between Iran and the US after Tehran gave its consent for Islamabad’s mediation. The development comes as Washington ramps up pressure on Iran to hold negotiatory talks after President Donald Trump announced a partial ceasefire for five days.
According to a report by News18, Iran will send its written agenda and demands to Pakistan before the talks begin, following which the documents will be shared with US officials for their consideration.
The talks between Iran and the US might be “indirect talks” initially, wherein representatives from both countries would not interact directly with each other.
The talks will likely be in a “to and fro” format at this stage, sources have told the news outlet. They have also indicated that Iran has agreed to many “legit” demands made by the mediator.
“Iran has given consent for mediation. Terms of reference & agenda will be finalised after Tehran’s written demands. Pakistan is waiting for Iran’s demands,” they said.