Iran ceasefire tested as cargo ship catches fire after being hit off Qatar's coast - BERITAJA

This is simply a locator representation for the Gulf Cooperation Council personnel states: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. AP

AP

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A cargo vessel caught occurrence Sunday aft being deed by an chartless projectile disconnected Qatar's coast, the British subject said, successful the latest onslaught connected vessels successful the Persian Gulf since a shaky ceasefire stopped fighting betwixt the U.S. and Iran.

The Trump management says the month-old ceasefire remains successful effect. But it has been many times tested pinch Iran restricting postulation done the Strait of Hormuz, a strategical waterway cardinal to the world travel of oil, and the U.S. imposing a blockade of Iranian ports.

Washington has been awaiting Iran's consequence to a caller connection for a woody to extremity the war, reopen the strait to shipping and rotation backmost Iran's atomic program.

One of the main sticking points successful the negotiations is the destiny of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The U.N. atomic agency says Iran has much than 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, method measurement from weapons-grade levels.

In an question and reply pinch Iranian authorities media, a spokesperson for the Iranian subject said that forces were connected "full readiness" to protect atomic sites wherever the uranium is stored.

"We considered it imaginable that they mightiness intend to bargain it done infiltration operations aliases heliborne operations," Brig. Gen. Akrami Nia told the IRNA news agency precocious Saturday. He didn't connection further details.

The mostly of Iran's highly enriched uranium is apt still astatine its Isfahan atomic complex, the caput of the U.N. atomic agency told The Associated Press past month.

The Isfahan installation was bombarded by U.S.-Israeli airstrikes successful the 12-day warfare past year, and faced little aggravated attacks successful this year's war.

In Sunday's naval attack, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said that the onslaught caused a mini occurrence connected the ship, which was extinguished. The onslaught happened 23 nautical miles (43 kilometers) northeast of Qatar's capital, Doha, the UKMTO said.

There were nary reported casualties, it said. It gave nary specifications connected the proprietor aliases root of the ship, and location was nary declare of responsibility.

But location person been respective attacks against ships successful the Persian Gulf complete the past week. On Friday, the U.S. struck 2 Iranian lipid tankers aft it said that the vessels were trying to breach its blockade of Iran's ports.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy connected Sunday reiterated its informing that immoderate onslaught connected Iranian lipid tankers aliases commercialized vessels would beryllium met pinch a "heavy assault" connected 1 of the U.S. bases successful the region and force ships.

U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated threats to resume full-scale bombing, if Iran doesn't judge an statement to reopen the strait and rotation backmost its atomic program. Iran has mostly blocked the captious waterway for world power since associated strikes connected Feb. 28 by the U.S. and Israel launched the war, which has caused a world spike successful substance prices and rattling world markets.