Dubai, July 01 (UNB/AP) - A foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly failing to follow a route approved by Iran, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday, as technical talks aimed at ending the Iran-US conflict got underway in Qatar.
Iranian state media identified the vessel only as a foreign container ship and did not disclose its name, flag or cargo details.
According to the report, the ship became stranded in shallow waters after choosing a route outside what Iran describes as its designated "Route of Authority" in the strategic waterway.
Iranian state television said the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had repeatedly warned shipping companies and vessel operators against using routes not authorised by Tehran, claiming such actions could lead to serious incidents.
The report appeared to reinforce Tehran's longstanding assertion of control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passes during peacetime. The waterway is widely recognised internationally as an international maritime passage.
Meanwhile, technical-level negotiations between Iranian and US representatives began in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, according to two regional officials familiar with the talks. The discussions are aimed at resolving outstanding issues and laying the groundwork for a broader agreement to formally end recent hostilities between the two countries.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are in Qatar for the negotiations, which are being mediated by Qatari officials.
Container ship runs aground in Strait of Hormuz
Iran reiterates control claims amid Qatar talks
FE Team | Published: July 01, 2026 23:23:30
Container ship runs aground in Strait of Hormuz
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