Iran's IRGC said the grounding was caused by the vessel straying from its approved corridor. Hormuz control and the Israeli intervention against Hezbollah in Lebanon remain the two main obstacles to a final deal.
A foreign container ship ran aground in the shallow waters on the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, as Tehran continues to insist on maintaining control of the key waterway, according to Iranian state television and multiple Iranian official sources.
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Iran's IRGC claimed the grounding was linked to the vessel not using Iran's approved route. Iranian officials said they had "repeatedly warned captains, shipowners and officials of shipping companies around the world that any entry or exit through routes other than the 'Route of Authority' in the Persian Gulf could lead to irreparable incidents."
Iranian state television said the ship ran aground "because of shallow waters along its chosen route" and gave no further details about its identity or nationality.
The vessel is believed to have been using the Oman corridor established last week by Muscat in coordination with the International Maritime Organization as an alternative to Iran's designated route south of Larak Island.
The IRGC said it would only guarantee safe navigation for vessels that coordinate their passage through the Iranian corridor, promising that "the Revolutionary Guard Navy will be responsible for their security from the moment they enter until they leave the Persian Gulf."
The grounding is the latest flashpoint in a dispute over who controls navigation through the strait.
Iran's position — that it holds sovereign authority over the waterway and may designate approved routes and eventually charge transit fees — directly contradicts longstanding international law and the position of the US, the Gulf states and most of the international community, who regard the strait as an international waterway under the transit passage provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Iran has signed but never ratified it.
The incident coincided with the arrival in Qatar of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner for talks over reaching a permanent end to the Iran war. Iran's top negotiator, Kazem Gharibabadi, also travelled to Doha with a team.
Technical talks between diplomats began Wednesday in Qatar, two regional officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door discussions.
The indirect negotiations are focusing on the release of Iran’s frozen funds and assets, its nuclear stockpile, the frozen funds and assets, as well as on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Negotiators aim to nail down specifics to pave the way for top leaders to seal an agreement, although differences over the strait and the Israeli intervention against Hezbollah in Lebanon loom large.
Washington duo's meetings in Doha
Witkoff and Kushner met Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani on Tuesday “to discuss the ongoing talks between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran within the framework of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two parties, along with the efforts aimed at promoting security and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy,” according to a Qatari government statement.
“The meeting also addressed the latest regional developments, particularly the ceasefire in the fraternal Republic of Lebanon, stressing the importance of consolidating it and building upon it in a way that preserves Lebanon's unity, sovereignty, and stability,” the statement added.
Qatar’s foreign ministry announced on Monday that “there are currently no high-level meetings between the Iranian and American sides under the agreed negotiation mechanism,” but that the technical meetings continue, both directly and indirectly, “through communication with the various parties involved.”
“Qatar is committed to maintaining this mechanism, as previously agreed, with technical meetings continuing between each round of high-level negotiations,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Dr. Majed Al-Ansari said on Monday.
“The Iranian and American technical delegations remain in session, these meetings are taking place in different contexts and with the participation of mediators to ensure their continuity, whether in Doha or elsewhere.”
On the issue of frozen Iranian funds, Dr Al Ansari said that “Qatar does not own the funds but serves as the financial intermediary managing the accounts under the agreement. Whether the funds are transferred depends on the agreement of both parties and the progress of negotiations, which has not yet occurred.”
Qatar also insist that it “doesn't accept any change to the current status of the Strait of Hormuz, whether through unilateral action or otherwise,” that “Qatar's position is based on respect for international maritime law, which guarantees freedom of navigation through the strait,” and that “other Gulf and regional states, and the wider international community” share this principle.
“Regarding whether the situation could return to what it was before the war, Dr Al Ansari said that the conflict has affected regional relations, maritime security, and the broader regional security architecture in the Middle East,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman said.
"Restoring the region to its pre-war state requires serious consideration, as there are many issues that must be placed on the table," he concluded.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a new warning to Washington, saying that under the framework deal US President Donald Trump “has committed the US to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv, but if they ignore their master, Iran will school them.”
Hormuz remains crucial
The Strait of Hormuz remains the central sticking point in the US-Iran talks. Under the interim memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June, ships may transit the waterway without fees for 60 days.
Tehran insists it must control the route taken by vessels and intends to charge transit fees once that period expires — a position Washington and Gulf Arab states have flatly rejected.
The US Treasury sanctioned Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority in May, calling it an unlawful scheme to extort commercial shipping.
A senior US official told AP that the Hormuz dispute and the situation in Lebanon remain the two main obstacles to a final agreement.
An attempt last week by Oman and the IMO to formalise an alternative shipping corridor near the Omani coast triggered a new wave of IRGC warnings and a broader exchange of fire across the region, as the situation around the strait remains volatile even as diplomacy continues.
While ship traffic in the strait dropped after this weekend's attacks, more countries say their vessels have left the crucial waterway.
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that 10 out of 11 Thai-flagged vessels or vessels chartered by Thai operators have departed the Strait of Hormuz safely. South Korean officials say all but two of the country’s 26 vessels that were stranded have left safely.