NEW YORK, July 30. /TASS/. Pakistan has reached an agreement with Iran to ensure the passage of at least one Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.

The vessel Al Areesh, which had been idling in the Persian Gulf since early July after loading at the Ras Laffan export terminal in Qatar, passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning. The tanker crossed the strait with its transponder switched on and is currently en route to Pakistan. The agreement on safe passage through the strait could also extend to other shipments, one of the sources added.

Pakistan has faced an acute fuel shortage since the start of the US operation against Iran. Earlier this year, Islamabad reached an agreement with Tehran on the safe passage of several LNG shipments. However, a fresh flare-up of the conflict has halted supplies to Pakistan. The country relies heavily on fuel from Qatar, with previous supply disruptions having led to rolling blackouts. Since February, Pakistan has been forced to spend over $400 mln purchasing LNG on spot markets to replace supplies from Qatar, the agency noted.