Qatar Summons Iran Envoy Over LNG Tanker Attack in Hormuz Strait

July 7, 2026 at 11:28 PM
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DOHA: Qatar on Tuesday summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador and lodged a formal protest over the targeting of a Qatari-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier in the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement posted on X, said the incident constituted a “serious violation of international navigation safety”, a “direct threat to the security of global energy supplies” and a “clear and explicit breach of the rules of international law”.

The ministry called on Tehran to immediately halt all actions that threaten regional security and jeopardise the safety of international shipping lanes and global energy supplies.

In addition, it called on Iran to provide urgent clarifications regarding this targeting, take immediate measures to prevent its recurrence, and fully comply with the relevant rules of international law.

Qatar stressed its right to take whatever measures it deems appropriate in accordance with international law to protect its interests and capabilities.

Earlier in a statement posted on X, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said the targeting of the Qatari-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Al Rekayyat while it was transiting near the strategic waterway was “an unacceptable attack on the security and safety of international maritime navigation.”

Al-Ansari said the incident posed a serious threat to global energy supplies and constituted “a grave and blatant violation of international law,” particularly the principles guaranteeing freedom of navigation and the safe passage of vessels through international waterways.

“We demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately cease all practices that undermine regional security or threaten the safety of international maritime navigation and refrain from endangering global energy supplies and the resources of the countries of the region in pursuit of narrow interests,” Ansari said.

Al-Ansari said Qatar holds Iran “fully legally responsible” for the attack and any damage or consequences arising from the incident.

According to reports, the Al Rekayyat was one of two commercial vessels struck by Iranian missiles near the Strait of Hormuz late Monday while transiting the strategic waterway. The attack caused significant damage to the vessels, although no casualties were reported.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, serving as a key transit route for a substantial share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from Gulf countries.

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