Reuters
[Photo Credit: Reuters]
A state of relative calm prevailed around the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, after days of sporadic flare-ups, as the United States waited for Iran’s response to its latest proposals to end more than two months of fighting and begin peace talks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington expected a response within hours. But a day later, there was no sign of movement from Tehran on the proposal, which would formally end the war before talks on more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker was sailing toward the strait on Saturday en route to Pakistan, according to LSEG shipping data, in a move sources said was approved by Iran to build confidence with Qatar and with Pakistan, a mediator in the war.
If completed, it would mark the first transit of a Qatari LNG vessel through the strait since the conflict started.
With U.S. President Donald Trump due to begin a visit to China next week, there has been mounting pressure to draw a line under the war, which has thrown energy markets into turmoil 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 renewed attack on Friday.
