Frankfurt (Germany), 12 April (LaPresse) – Two empty supertankers attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz and reach the Persian Gulf, but turned back at the last minute. According to vessel tracking data, as reported by the Pakistani broadcaster NDTV, a trio of large oil tankers, none of which had direct links to Iran, began approaching the Strait from the Gulf of Oman late in the evening, arriving near the Iranian island of Larak in the early hours of Sunday. At this de facto checkpoint, the Agios Fanourios I, bound for Iraq, and the Shalamar, flying the Pakistani flag and bound for Das Island in the United Arab Emirates, turned back. A third vessel, the Mombasa B, was sailing further ahead and headed between the islands of Larak and Qeshm, a route approved by Iran for access to the Persian Gulf. It has not yet indicated a specific destination. The specific reasons behind the sudden changes of course – and the third, successful passage – are unclear, given that both Iraq and Pakistan had previously received authorisation from Iran to cross the Strait. But their change of heart came just as US and Iranian negotiators in Islamabad announced they had failed to reach an agreement.
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