March 12, 2026
Client Alert: Force Majeure in the Shadow of the Iran War: What Contract Holders Must Do Right Now
In the last ten days, the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have moved from geopolitical risk to operational crisis. QatarEnergy has declared force majeure on LNG deliveries. Major oil and gas producers have suspended shipments. Tankers have been struck or stranded. For companies holding supply, delivery, and commercial contracts with Middle East delivery obligations touching upon the Strait of Hormuz, the question is no longer whether to engage force majeure — it is whether your clause will hold under scrutiny, and whether you have already missed the window to invoke it.