A liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier linked to Pakistan’s fuel imports, the Al Mayeda, was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday after Iranian authorities were understood to have cleared its passage only hours earlier, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.
The Marshall Islands-flagged ship was sailing toward the waterway with a cargo of LNG from Qatar when it came under fire, those people said. They asked not to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media.
Talks with Iran before the voyage
Pakistan had negotiated with Iran to secure safe passage for the Al Mayeda before the attack, the same people said. That diplomatic step was meant to reduce risk as the vessel approached one of the world’s busiest energy chokepoints, the Strait of Hormuz, which sits between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and is a key route for oil and gas tankers.
Just hours before the ship was hit, Iranian authorities were understood to have provided a green light for the passage, according to that account. The sources did not publicly detail how the clearance was communicated or what conditions, if any, were attached.
What is known about the attack
The confirmed outline so far is limited: the vessel was under way toward the strait, carrying Qatar-origin LNG, and then came under fire near Hormuz on Friday. Public details in the available account do not name who opened fire, how badly the ship or crew were affected, or whether the cargo was damaged.
Because the information rests on people familiar with the episode rather than a formal government statement quoted here, officials in Islamabad, Tehran, or Doha may yet offer a fuller record. Until then, the central claim is that a Pakistan-linked Pakistan LNG movement had Iranian approval shortly before the assault.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Friday, hours before the attack: Iranian authorities were understood to have given the Al Mayeda a green light for passage, people with direct knowledge said.
- Friday: The Marshall Islands-flagged carrier, loaded with LNG from Qatar and sailing toward the Strait of Hormuz, came under fire near the waterway.
- Before the voyage: Pakistan negotiated with Iran to secure safe passage for the ship, according to the same people.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan ke liye Qatar se LNG le kar jaane wala jahaz Al Mayeda Juma ko Hormuz ke qareeb fire ka nishana bana. Hamle se kuch ghante pehle Iran ki taraf se isay raasta dene ki baat samjhi gayi thi. Pakistan ne pehle se Iran se safe passage ki baat ki thi. Ab asl tafseel — kaun mara, nuksan kitna hua — official bayanat se wazeh hogi.
