Third Tanker Fire Reported in Hormuz as Qatari Mediators Return to Tehran

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Friday that a third oil tanker had exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, this one a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil, according to Iranian state media as reported by Military.com. The U.S. military rejects Tehran's explanation that the ships hit naval mines. At the same time, Qatari mediators arrived in Tehran for talks aimed at ending the war.

What Iran says happened to the third tanker

The Guard said the supertanker struck a naval mine while using an unauthorized route through the strait. It described the ship as the third tanker to explode Friday after trying to bypass Iran's permission system. Earlier in the day, the Guard's navy said two other tankers caught fire after hitting mines, Iranian state TV reported. Iran claimed those vessels had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and ignored repeated radio warnings.

Iran did not name any of the ships or give details about their crews. The Associated Press, whose reporting Military.com carried, said it could not verify the claims.

The U.S. response and a separate incident off Oman

The U.S. military denies the mine claims. It says American forces have cleared all internationally recognized primary transit routes through the waterway of sea mines.

Separately, Oman's Maritime Security Center said it evacuated 25 crew members from a vessel. It said the Panama-flagged tanker was attacked 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam Governorate and caught fire. It is unclear whether this is one of the ships Iran described, as the Iranian reports did not identify the vessels.

Why Iran says it controls the strait

Iran has repeatedly warned ships not to pass through the strait without Tehran's approval. Last month it said vessels attempting to do so would face "destruction," and it has claimed responsibility for attacks on ships. Tehran has asserted control over much of the waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

Qatari mediators arrive as Washington sends a letter

Iranian state media said Qatari mediators returned to Iran on Friday for talks, the latest diplomatic effort to end the war. The IRNA news agency said the delegation was led by Qatar's foreign minister and a senior adviser to the prime minister. It said they were meeting senior Iranian officials but did not say which ones.

The visit follows a letter that U.S. Vice President JD Vance sent in recent days to Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Tehran acknowledged on Thursday that it had received the letter but said it had not replied, and it did not describe the contents. President Donald Trump suggested the letter was not about peace negotiations but about possibly allowing humanitarian aid.

What this means for shipping and the wider conflict

The incidents show how risky the strait has become for commercial vessels. Iran says ships using routes it has not approved face mines and fire. The U.S. says the main internationally recognized routes are clear. Those accounts cannot both be right, and neither has been independently verified. Reports also differ on whether the Oman evacuation is linked to the Iranian claims.

The diplomatic track matters because the military picture could change. According to diplomats cited by the AP, U.S. officials have told Middle East countries and regional allies to prepare for possible renewed military action against Iran after next week's U.S. midterm elections.

What to watch next

Key open questions are whether Iran responds to Vance's letter, what comes out of the talks with the Qatari delegation, and whether Iran or independent sources identify the damaged ships and their crews. Details on the Oman evacuation and the vessel involved have also yet to be clarified.

Earlier on Around Prague: Iran and U.S. Trade Claims Over Tanker Fires in Strait of Hormuz

Around Prague, based on reporting by Military.com