A cargo ship reported being hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman, while the United States and Iran gave conflicting accounts of whether they were holding talks to end the war.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) said the ship reported being “hit by an unknown projectile” at around 2am local time while sailing about 37 kilometres northeast of Al Khasab in Oman.
The agency did not provide details about the vessel, including its flag or the cargo it was carrying.
Al Khasab is located at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, which extends into the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a key route for global oil and gas shipments.
Before the war, about one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed through the strait. The waterway has effectively been closed to commercial shipping since Iran began attacks on vessels after the war started in February. The United States has also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in the area.
US and Iran give different accounts of talks
US President Donald Trump said Monday that Washington and Tehran had resumed talks aimed at ending the conflict.
However, Iran rejected the claim.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said no negotiations were taking place with the United States. He said Tehran was only holding discussions with Oman, mainly about creating a safe route for navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump had said a day earlier that he called off major strikes he had threatened against Iran after being urged to do so by Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
“Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking,” Trump said.
He also expressed frustration with Iran, claiming that Tehran had sought talks despite publicly denying that negotiations were taking place.
“Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He said Iran had requested a meeting and that talks had begun, with more meetings expected soon, while Tehran was publicly saying that it was not negotiating with Washington and was dealing only with Oman.