A Pakistan-bound container ship has been stopped from crossing the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces amid the escalating war in the Middle East.
The vessel, SELEN, sailing from the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah anchorage toward Karachi, was forced to reverse course at the entrance to the crucial waterways due to the absence of transit authorisation, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Amid war with the US and Israel, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world, while saying it allows safe passage for vessels from Israel, the US and other parties linked to the conflict. Roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes through the strait, but attacks on ships have stopped nearly all tanker traffic.
Why Pakistani Ship Was Stopped
“The container ship SELEN was turned back by the IRGC Navy due to failure to comply with legal protocols and lack of permission to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” IRGC Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri said in a post on X.
“The passage of any vessel through this waterway requires full coordination with Iran’s maritime authority, and this achievement would not have been possible without the backing of the noble people of Iran,” he added.
Iran has declared its intention to manage the “open” navigation of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has said that the “non-hostile” vessels can arrange passage for their vessels by coordinating with Iranian authorities in advance (and in some cases, paying for it), but vessels associated with the enemies will be prohibited from crossing the waterway.
Pakistan’s Role In Conflict
As war rages in the Middle East, Pakistan is trying to position itself as the facilitator of “meaningful and conclusive talks” between the US and Iran to end the conflict. Islamabad’s role as a possible host of talks builds on its courtship of US President Donald Trump and its reputation as a relatively neutral player with long-standing ties to neighbouring Iran’s Islamic Republic.
Source: NDTV
- Agencies
