Published Sun, May 10, 2026 · 08:55 AM

[WASHINGTON/CAIRO] A state of relative calm prevailed around the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday (May 9), after days of sporadic flare-ups, as the US waited for Iran’s response to its latest proposals to end more than two months of fighting and begin peace talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington expected a response within hours. But a day later, there was no sign of movement from Teheran on the proposal, which would formally end the war before talks on more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme.

Rubio met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in Miami on Saturday and discussed the need to continue working together “to deter threats and promote stability and security across the Middle East,” US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

The statement did not specifically mention Iran.

A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker was sailing toward the strait on Saturday en route to Pakistan, according to LSEG shipping data, in a move sources said was approved by Iran to build confidence with Qatar and Pakistan, both mediators in the war.

If completed, it would mark the first transit of a Qatari LNG vessel through the strait since the conflict started.

With US President Donald Trump due to begin a visit to China this week, there has been mounting pressure to draw a line under the war, which has thrown energy markets into turmoil and posed a growing threat to the...