Iran Sends Peace Response as Gas Tanker Crosses Hormuz for First Time
CNBC reported Sunday that Iran has forwarded its reply to a U.S. peace proposal through mediator Pakistan. The development coincided with a Qatari gas tanker making the first transit of the Strait of Hormuz since the war began in late February.
Iran’s Reply Reaches Pakistan First
Iranian state television said Tehran’s response was transmitted to Pakistan, which then forwarded it to Washington. The reply reportedly centered on achieving a comprehensive end to hostilities, including in Lebanon, and securing safe passage through the strait. A Pakistani official confirmed receipt of the communication but offered no further detail.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz told ABC’s “This Week” that Washington had not yet received Iran’s response as of Sunday morning. He attributed the slow pace of diplomacy partly to leadership uncertainty inside Iran. Waltz noted that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader, had been seriously wounded and was in hiding. That situation, he said, was complicating direct communication with Iranian decision-makers, even as IRGC commanders remain nominally deferential to his authority.
First Tanker Through Since February
The QatarEnergy-operated carrier Al Kharaitiyat crossed the strait on Sunday, becoming the first Qatari liquefied natural gas vessel to do so since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on February 28. The ship was heading to Pakistan’s Port Qasim. Shipping analytics firm Kpler confirmed the movement.
Sources told CNBC the transit was approved by Iran as a goodwill gesture toward Qatar and Pakistan, both of whom are serving as intermediaries. A Panama-flagged bulk carrier bound for Brazil also completed a crossing Sunday, using a corridor designated by Iran’s armed forces.
Hormuz Before the War
Before the conflict erupted, the Strait of Hormuz carried roughly one-fifth of global oil supply daily. Tehran has largely blocked non-Iranian commercial shipping through the narrow waterway since hostilities began, triggering a global energy crisis and straining economies worldwide. The interruption has caused severe power outages in Pakistan, which depends on Qatari gas imports.
Also Read: What the Hormuz Blockade Means for Global Energy Markets
Trump’s China Trip Adds Diplomatic Urgency
President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit China this week, raising pressure on his administration to show measurable diplomatic progress before the trip. Drone incidents continued to undercut optimism on Sunday. The UAE reported intercepting two Iranian drones. Qatar condemned a separate drone strike on a cargo vessel in its waters, and Kuwait said its air defenses engaged hostile drones that entered its airspace.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Miami on Saturday to discuss Pakistan’s mediation effort. Sporadic ceasefire violations have persisted despite a truce that has been nominally in place for one month.
