Maritime trade between Iran and Qatar has resumed after a suspension of about five months, according to Iran's state-run IRNA, citing the country's commercial attaché in Doha.
Abbas Abdolkhani said shipping between Iran's Dayyer Port and Qatar's Al Ruwais Port has restarted following "continuous follow-up" by the Iranian Embassy in Doha and coordination with Qatari authorities.
"Al Ruwais Port has resumed accepting Iranian goods," Abdolkhani was quoted as saying by Iran's Trade Promotion Organization, according to Mehr News Agency.
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He described Al Ruwais Port as the main gateway for Iranian exports to Qatar, adding that the reopening of the sea route is expected to ease trade, lower transportation costs, speed up deliveries and boost bilateral trade volumes.
The route is used to export a wide range of Iranian products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, seafood, eggs, protein products, construction materials, white cement, mineral products, carpets and other goods for the Qatari market.
Abdolkhani said he expects the resumption of the route to strengthen private sector cooperation and expand trade between the two countries.
Separately, Qatar's Transport Ministry said on Sunday that maritime activities would resume with immediate effect, reversing a June 29 advisory that had temporarily suspended sailing and fishing boats. Commercial shipping had remained exempt from the restriction.
The ministry urged all vessel operators to comply with maritime safety regulations. Qatar had not given a reason for the June 29 advisory, but it came a day after the country said one of its nationals was killed after suffering shrapnel injuries linked to military operations in the region following the disappearance of his vessel.
Earlier, Iran has confirmed that it will introduce new maritime service fees for commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz after a 60-day toll-free period, while offering preferential treatment to countries it considers friendly, in a move that has heightened geopolitical tensions over one of the world's most critical energy corridors.
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According to Iranian officials, the decision follows a temporary US-Iran arrangement that allowed free passage through the strategic waterway, which carries around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Iranian Ambassador to China Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said, quoted NDTV, “These new arrangements will concern guaranteeing the security of passage through the Strait of Hormuz, supervision of the passage of vessels... and also guaranteeing and dealing with the environmental consequences of the massive number of ships.”
Iran also indicated favourable terms to nations maintaining friendly relations with Tehran. “We will definitely consider special treatment for the countries that were friendly to us and especially stood by us during the hard times,” he added.
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