An oil slick is spreading off the coast of Iran's Kharg Island, a key oil export terminal for Tehran, The New York Times has reported, citing satellite images.
It was not immediately clear what had caused the apparent spill reported by NYT on Friday. The spill was located off the island's west coast.
It appeared to cover more than 52 square kilometres as of Thursday, according to an estimate by Orbital EOS, which monitors oil spills.
The slick appeared to be spreading southward towards Saudi waters.
Kharg Island is at the heart of Iran's oil export industry, a lynchpin of the country's economy, and lies in the Gulf, north of the narrow, strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Kharg Island has Iran's largest oil terminal, oil pipelines, storage tanks and related infrastructure.
Talks and truce
Iran largely closed the strait at the start of the war with the US and Israel on February 28. Tehran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes on US bases and its Gulf allies.
The US has since imposed a blockade of Iranian ports, stranding many tankers in the area.
Meanwhile, a truce mediated by Pakistan began on April 8, but Islamabad talks failed to yield a deal. Trump later extended the truce indefinitely. Five days later, US began to impose its blockade on Iranian ports, claiming it costs Iranian economy around $450 million a day.
Talks between the US and Iran could resume as early as next week in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Journal said the two sides are working with mediators to formulate a one-page, 14-point memorandum of understanding that would set the parameters for a month of talks aimed at ending the war.
The draft is said to include discussions on Iran's nuclear programme, easing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, and possible handling of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpiles to another country, though key issues remain unresolved.
