A foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly failing to follow a route approved by Iran, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday, as technical talks aimed at ending the Iran-US conflict got underway in Qatar.
Iranian state media identified the vessel only as a foreign container ship and did not disclose its name, flag or cargo details.
According to the report, the ship became stranded in shallow waters after choosing a route outside what Iran describes as its designated "Route of Authority" in the strategic waterway.
Iranian state television said the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had repeatedly warned shipping companies and vessel operators against using routes not authorised by Tehran, claiming such actions could lead to serious incidents.
The report appeared to reinforce Tehran's longstanding assertion of control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passes during peacetime. The waterway is widely recognised internationally as an international maritime passage.
Meanwhile, technical-level negotiations between Iranian and US representatives began in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, according to two regional officials familiar with the talks. The discussions are aimed at resolving outstanding issues and laying the groundwork for a broader agreement to formally end recent hostilities between the two countries.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are in Qatar for the negotiations, which are being mediated by Qatari officials.
Although Iran has publicly denied scheduling direct talks with US representatives, officials have left open the possibility of indirect negotiations through Qatari mediators, a format previously used by the two sides.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with the US delegation, with discussions focusing on the interim agreement as well as regional security and stability through dialogue and diplomacy.
The negotiations are also expected to address broader regional issues, including tensions in Lebanon.
Iran has insisted that all hostilities between the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and Israeli forces must end, while also calling for Israel to withdraw from territory it currently occupies in southern Lebanon. Israel has maintained that it will retain control of the area to counter Hezbollah attacks.
Speaking to Iranian state television, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said efforts to reach a permanent agreement were continuing but warned that Tehran remained prepared for military action if diplomatic commitments were not honoured.
"We are engaged in dialogue, but if they refuse to implement what has been agreed through dialogue, we are prepared for war," he said.