Qatar on Tuesday condemned Iran following an attack on a liquefied natural gas tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Tehran of endangering international shipping and global energy supplies.
Posting a statement on X, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari described the reported strike on the LNG tanker Al-Rekayat as a serious breach of international law and a threat to maritime security.
Targeting the vessel as it transited near the Strait of Hormuz “constitutes a rejected aggression against the security and safety of international navigation, and the security of global energy supplies, and a grave and explicit violation of the provisions of international law, especially the rules that guarantee freedom of maritime navigation and safe passage in international straits,” Al-Ansari said.
The incident occurred off the coast of Oman in the southern section of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping corridors.
Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre reported that a commercial vessel had been struck by a projectile in the area. As per maritime sources, the ship was hit by an Iranian missile, sparking a fire in its engine room and raising concerns about a possible explosion. No casualties were reported in the strike’s aftermath.
Qatar called on Iran to halt actions that could further destabilise the region and disrupt international trade routes.
“We demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately cease all practices that harm regional security or threaten the safety of international navigation, and stop endangering global energy supplies and the capabilities of regional countries for the sake of narrow calculations,” Al-Ansari said.
He added that Doha holds Tehran “fully legally responsible for this aggression and any damages and repercussions that may result from it.”
