Vessels, Including Qatari LNG Carrier, Attacked Near Oman as Tehran Blames US
Qatar has issued a warning to Iran, stating that Tehran will bear full legal responsibility following attacks on three tankers, including a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel, within hours in the Strait of Hormuz.
All three tankers were struck close to Oman's coastline, which had recently proposed establishing a new shipping corridor near its shores—a plan opposed by Iran, which seeks to impose fees on vessels navigating the waterway.
Iran attributed the incidents on Thursday to the United States, accusing Washington of violating the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties by attempting to open new routes through the strait.
Tehran asserts that it will manage the reopening of the strait in consultation with Oman, aiming to restore commercial traffic to prewar levels within 30 days.
During a briefing in Tehran, officials from Iran's foreign ministry emphasized the country's right to levy fees on all ships passing through the strait.
"Securing the strait for navigation for safe passage is itself a service," said the foreign ministry spokesperson, outlining terms for the long-term management of the strait that are expected to face rejection from Western shipping interests and other stakeholders.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO) reported that the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat was struck near Limah, Oman, while attempting to travel south out of the strait toward the Gulf of Oman.
During a mayday call, the crew of Al Rekayyat were heard transmitting a message stating,
"We’re being hit by a drone top of port side near engine room."
This marked the first time a Qatari vessel has been attacked since the onset of the conflict between the US and Iran on 28 February. Qatar has served as a mediator in the ongoing talks, but its foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, condemned the attack as a
"serious and explicit violation" of international law and affirmed that Qatar would hold Iran fully responsible for this act of aggression.
Iran's foreign ministry maintained that the memorandum of understanding grants it sole authority to manage the reopening of the strait. The spokesperson stated,
"But the US has been trying somehow to open new routes."
Additionally, Iran rejected a proposal from Oman to establish a new authority for the strait, modeled after the Malacca and Singapore straits, where fees are charged only for specific navigational services excluding security.
The spokesperson elaborated,
"For a long time we have been generous enough not to ask for anything. Providing security is costly and Iran and Oman have been doing that for a long time. So from now on we’re going to ask for necessary costs when we provide related services, including securing the safe passage."
He further added,
"When you provide in the English Channel you call it deep sea piloting, for instance, you call it different names, but that’s the same."
However, it is noted that deep sea pilotage in busy waterways is generally considered voluntary.
Iran is likely to face criticism for demanding compulsory fees from ships, implying that vessels must pay or risk attacks—a situation resembling a protection scheme. Tehran contends that the strait became contested solely due to American aggression.
Furthermore, Iran's foreign ministry firmly rejected proposals from France and the United Kingdom to initiate demining and securing of the southern route through the strait near Oman's shore.
The spokesperson remarked,
"When France and others said they were ready to help, we said ‘no thank you’ – this is for Iran to do it and we know how to do it."
