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ARCHIVE - Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Altaf Qadri/AP/dpa/Archive image
Keystone
According to Pakistan, Iran is easing its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for energy supplies, for certain ships. "The Iranian government has agreed to allow 20 more ships flying the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on X. According to him, two of these ships will pass through the strait every day. Dar spoke of a significant step towards peace.
The move is seen by observers as a confidence-building measure as part of mediation efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.
Since the beginning of the Israeli and US attacks on the country, Iran has been blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which large parts of oil and gas are transported. The prices for these energy sources have risen sharply as a result. According to information from the US government on Thursday, Tehran had already allowed ten oil tankers to pass through, including ships flying the Pakistani flag.
"Dialogue, diplomacy and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward," emphasized Minister Dar.
Dar had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on the phone and emphasized the need for de-escalation, as the Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced late in the evening (local time). The foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are due to meet Dar in Islamabad this Sunday to discuss the situation in the region. Islamabad declared this week that it had passed on messages between the USA and Iran.
Exactly how many ships are still stuck in the Persian Gulf is unclear. A few days ago, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) spoke of around 2,000 ships and around 20,000 seafarers affected. According to the IMO, an average of 129 ships per day passed through the Strait of Hormuz in February before the war began.
28.03.2026, 21:55
