An “unknown projectile” struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire that has since been put out, a British maritime agency said early yesterday.

“Local authorities have reported a tanker has been hit by an unknown projectile causing fire to the vessel which has since been extinguished,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

Qatar’s prime minister was due to visit Tehran yesterday in a bid to relaunch diplomacy after the US and Iran traded recriminations over Washington’s promise to increase economic pressure on Tehran by targeting its trade partners for sanctions.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, US President Donald Trump has said he is “not in a hurry” to resume talks with Tehran.

Iran and Oman are still working on the details of an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source said on Wednesday, after IRGC said two countries had agreed how to share the waterway and its revenues. Meanwhile, Iran has been unable to import enough petrol to make up for insufficient domestic production because of the blockade, a senior Iranian official said.