Qatari LNG tanker transits Strait of Hormuz for first time in three weeks, Iran says

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first such transit in three weeks, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB. The vessel complied with the conditions set by Tehran, IRIB reported. The crossing came hours after the U.S. military said it had struck dozens of positions belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. On the same day, the IRGC announced that the strait would remain closed as long as the United States continued what it described as "threats and interference" with regional navigation. Several tankers operated by QatarEnergy had earlier been forced to turn back after failing to transit the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the month. Qatar is among the world's largest LNG exporters, accounting for roughly 20 percent of global LNG shipments, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. The closure of one of the world's most critical energy shipping lanes has already disrupted regional energy flows, and Qatar's ability to resume exports hinges on whether Iranian conditions continue to allow passage through the strait. No further details on the latest transit or on negotiations between the parties were immediately available.