The Iranian Navy on Tuesday intercepted and turned back a container ship bound for Pakistan via the Hormuz Strait, forcing it to reverse course.
This comes as a major blow for Pakistan, which has offered to mediate the war between Iran and US-Israel forces as it nears a fourth week.
AIS data shows the Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged vessel at a halt some way off from Iran after it began its journey from Sharjah and was scheduled to arrive at the Karachi Port in Pakistan on March 28.
According to Iranian Navy chief Alireza Tangsiri, the container ship Selen (IMO: 9208459) had been turned back due to "failure to comply with legal protocols and lack of permission" to cross the embattled strait.
He then reiterated that ship transit through the Hormuz Strait was fully dependent on "full coordination with Iran's maritime authority".
This is in line with the "special conditions" that Iran had imposed on the strait, which remain in effect, despite US President Donald Trump's 48-hour ultimatum over the weekend for Iran to either open the waterway, or to see its power plants bombed.
Iran had, at the time, doubled down on the threats, warning "irreversible" destruction of power plants in the region, and also the complete closure of the Hormuz Strait till its own power plants were repaired.
As the special conditions persist, only selected ships belonging to—or headed to—friendly nations have been allowed to cross the Hormuz Strait.
Two Indian-flagged LPG carriers Pine Gas (IMO: 9315680) and Jag Vasant (IMO: 9307750) are some of the latest vessels that have crossed the strait without damage.
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