By S.M. Inam
KARACHI: A Pakistani oil tanker has successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz after receiving special authorisation from Iranian authorities, in what analysts describe as a significant development for maritime trade amid heightened tensions in the Gulf .
The Pakistan-flagged vessel, MT Karachi, is carrying more than 80 million litres of crude oil and is expected to dock at Karachi port imminently. The tanker travelled through a narrow channel between Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands before continuing along the coast towards the Gulf of Oman .
According to a Bloomberg report cited by multiple outlets, the vessel’s passage indicates an informal Iranian marine traffic control system is emerging, suggesting ships now require Tehran’s approval to transit the world’s most critical oil chokepoint .
The development follows the effective closure of the strait earlier this month after US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which have claimed more than 2,000 lives and disrupted global energy markets .
Iran’s consul general in Karachi, Akbar Issa Zadeh, confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for Pakistani vessels, stating that ships carrying crude oil or gas can pass after coordinating with the Iranian government.
However, the Iranian Consul General in Karachi claimed the waterway is closed only to the United States, Israel, and their allies . Two cargo vessels that had docked at Iranian ports also used the same passage on Monday, sharing their locations publicly .
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi thanked Pakistan for its “solidarity and support” in a social media post, describing the passage as occurring on a “blessed, divine and spiritual day and hour” .
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