Ship runs aground in strait; tech talks on

One of the things I find just fascinating and frustrating about the Iranians is they’ll say, ‘No, no, there aren’t peace talks ongoing,’ but there are technical talks between the US and Iran about the peace deal. It’s a Persian negotiating tactic and a Persian rhetorical device that I don’t understand. 

JD Vance US Vice-President

Dubai: A foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after using a route not approved by Iran, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday. It said the vessel became stuck in shallow waters after straying from the designated channel and urged ships to follow directions issued by Iran’s IRGC.

The report appeared to reinforce Tehran’s claim over the waterway. Iran has repeatedly threatened to disrupt shipping in the strait during the conflict, rattling global energy markets.

The development came as US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, were in Doha, Qatar, for indirect talks to secure a permanent end to the war. Iran’s top negotiator, Kazem Ghariba­badi, also travelled to Qatar, where technical-level discussions began on Wednesday.

Qatar confirmed meetings with both the US and Iranian delegations as part of its mediation efforts. While Tehran ruled out direct talks with Washington, indirect negotiations through Qatari officials remain possible.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said efforts to reach a lasting agreement were continuing but warned that Iran was prepared for conflict if commitments were not honoured. Lebanon remains a major sticking point in negotiations. Thailand said 10 of its 11 vessels had exited safely, while South Korea rep­orted all but two of its 26 stra­nded ships had left the area.