A Singapore-flagged cargo ship was reportedly attacked by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz on June 25, according to two senior U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The attack damaged the vessel's bridge but caused no casualties, according to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). It occurred near the coast of Oman, hours after the IRGC Navy warned commercial vessels against using shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz that had not been approved by Iranian authorities.
The incident comes less than a week after the United States and Iran reached a 60-day agreement to end hostilities and reopen the vital maritime corridor, one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes.
Earlier this week, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced it was coordinating an evacuation route for hundreds of vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf. The operation was being carried out in cooperation with Iran, Oman, other coastal states and the United States.
However, hours after the reported attack, the U.N. maritime agency said it had suspended the evacuation operation.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the pause was intended to "reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region."
He added that the vessel involved in the attack was not travelling under the IMO's evacuation framework.
Under the U.S.-Iran agreement, Tehran committed to making its best efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the lifting of the U.S. blockade on its ports.
As part of the deal, Washington this week waived sanctions on Iranian oil sales and allowed Iran to sell its crude oil in U.S. dollars for the first time in decades.
By Sabina Mammadli
