Foreign container ship runs aground in Strait of Hormuz amid route dispute

A foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state television said on Wednesday, after the vessel chose a route that Tehran has not authorized. The report said the ship became stuck in shallow water and could not continue sailing, and warned that shippers must follow the instructions of the Revolutionary Guard Navy, which has cautioned that using routes other than the "Route of Authority" could cause serious incidents.

The incident comes as U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and former White House adviser Jared Kushner met in Doha with Qatar’s emir and foreign minister to discuss a permanent end to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. Iran’s chief negotiator, Kazem Gharibabadi, also traveled to Qatar with a delegation, according to two regional officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Negotiators are working to resolve details of a broader agreement, including the status of the strait, which handles about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments. An interim deal earlier this year allowed ships to pass without fees for 60 days, but Tehran later insisted on controlling vessel routes and imposing charges, a position the United States and several Gulf states reject.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said the United States remains concerned about Iran’s nuclear program while also addressing the strait issue. Iranian officials in Doha said their talks focused on Lebanon and the return of frozen Iranian assets, without direct discussions with the American side.

Separate reports indicated that most Thai-flagged vessels and the majority of South Korean ships previously stranded in the strait have now left safely. In Baghdad, Iraqi security forces shot down an unarmed drone over the Green Zone, marking the first security incident in the capital since a ceasefire was announced between the United States and Iran.