Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative movement emerged around the Strait of Hormuz despite renewed security incidents across the Gulf.
According to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, Tehran’s response was delivered to the mediator, Pakistan. The proposal is understood to focus first on ending the conflict before addressing more divisive issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme, although no further details were released.
The diplomatic developments came as two commercial vessels were allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes.
The Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier Al Kharaitiyat, operated by QatarEnergy, passed through the strait and was heading towards Pakistan’s Port Qasim, according to shipping analytics firm Kpler.
It was the first Qatari LNG vessel to make the crossing since the outbreak of war between the United States and Israel on 28 February.
For Pakistan, where prolonged electricity cuts have followed disruptions to gas imports, the shipment offered some relief. Sources familiar with the matter said Iran had approved the transfer as part of efforts to build trust with both Qatar and Pakistan, which have been involved in mediation attempts.
A second vessel, the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Mdl Toofan, also passed through the strait on Sunday after previously being turned back earlier this month. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the ship used a route designated by Iran’s armed forces.
Even so, tensions across the Gulf remained high. The United Arab Emirates said it had intercepted two drones originating from Iran, while Qatar condemned a drone strike on a cargo vessel in its waters.
Kuwait’s Defence Ministry said a “number of hostile drones” were detected in the country’s airspace at dawn on Sunday (10 May), with the army later confirming it had intercepted and dealt with the aircraft, in the latest security incident linked to the Iran conflict.
The UAE condemned the attacks, calling them “terrorist attacks” that constituted “a violation of the sovereignty of Kuwait and a threat to its security and stability”, according to a statement on X from the Emirati foreign ministry.
The incident follows a series of recent drone-related attacks. On 25 April, Kuwait said two drones launched from Iraq struck northern border posts, causing damage, while on 8 April its air defences intercepted a wave of Iranian drones targeting vital infrastructure.
Iran has imposed severe restrictions on non-Iranian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that previously carried around a fifth of the world’s oil supply. The disruption has fuelled a global energy crisis and raised fears of further economic instability.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani warned Iran against using the strait as “a pressure tool” during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry.
He told Araghchi that freedom of navigation should not be compromised and said using the waterway in this way would “only deepen the crisis”.
The latest exchanges come as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares for a visit to China this week, with growing pressure from allies and voters at home to contain a conflict that has pushed up global fuel prices and unsettled financial markets.
Washington has struggled to rally broad international backing for military efforts linked to reopening the strait. NATO allies have so far resisted U.S. calls to contribute naval forces without a full peace agreement and an internationally mandated mission.
Britain, meanwhile, said on Saturday (9 May) that it was deploying a warship to the Middle East in preparation for a possible multinational operation to protect shipping routes once conditions allow.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign ...
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent&...
ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 will bring startups, investors and global technology companies to Tashkent from 22 to 25 September, with venture capital, ...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad saying the strike originated from Iraq.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 will bring startups, investors and global technology companies to Tashkent from 22 to 25 September, with venture capital, artificial intelligence and international expansion at the heart of the four-day event.
More than 20 hospitals and health centres in Gaza could lose a key source of fuel from 19 September, according to the Strip's Health Ministry.
Natural gas supplies from Russia to Armenia will be temporarily suspended for 11 days while planned maintenance and repair work is carried out on a pipeline in Russia, the Armenian subsidiary of Russian state energy firm Gazprom has said.
Saudi Arabia’s outbound travel market could surge from around $35 billion to more than $60 billion by 2030-2034, driven by a young generation of high-spending travellers and intensifying competition among global destinations.
Uzbekistan’s first permanent contemporary art institution has opened in a historic 1912 building in Tashkent, transforming a former tram depot and diesel power station into a new cultural hub for the region.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment