Qatar has strongly condemned the targeting of its vessel "Al-Rekayyat" while it was transiting near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, describing the incident as an "unacceptable attack" on international maritime navigation and global energy security.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Majed Al Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and official spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "The targeting of the Qatari vessel 'Al-Rekayyat' while transiting near the Strait of Hormuz constitutes an unacceptable attack on the security and safety of international maritime navigation, the security of global energy supplies, and a grave and explicit violation of international law, particularly the rules guaranteeing freedom of navigation & safe passage through international waterways."
Alleging and calling on Iran to halt actions that threaten regional stability, Al Ansari said, "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."
He further asserted that Qatar would hold Iran accountable for the incident, stating, "We hold it fully legally responsible for this attack and for any resulting damages and consequences."
Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, citing unnamed sources, on Tuesday reported that the Qatari oil tanker "Al-Rekayyat" was targeted on Monday night after allegedly attempting to transit through the Omani route in the Strait of Hormuz with US Navy support while ignoring repeated Iranian warnings.
IRIB further highlighted Iran's longstanding position that "the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to what it was before the US attack on Iran", adding that all transit through the Strait must follow routes announced by Iran, otherwise the security of vessels cannot be guaranteed.