A large oil slick has been reported near Iran's Kharg Island. Kharg Island is at the heart of Iran’s oil export industry. It lies in the Gulf north of the narrow, strategic Strait of Hormuz.

A major oil spill is seen near Kharg Island, which is spreading off its coasts, according to Orbital EOS. Orbital EOS, the agency that monitors oil spills, told The New York Times, that the spill has already covered more than 52 square kilometres (20 square miles).

The spill was reportedly seen in images captured between May 6 and May 8. The slick appeared to be spreading southward towards Saudi Arabia’s waters, reports said. However, the source of the spill remains unclear.

The report comes at a time when the United States is said to be awaiting a response from Iran on a proposal to end the war. US President Donald Trump previously said his administration was expecting to hear back from Tehran on Friday night.

"We’ll hear from them supposedly tonight," Trump told CNN. Pressed on whether he believed the Iranians were slow-rolling negotiations, Trump replied that he did not know. "We’ll find out soon enough," he said. As at Saturday morning Eastern time, it is not clear if Iran has responded to the US.

Trump, however, also said that the US might resume a short-lived operation to guide ships through the waterway. He paused the operation earlier this week, citing progress in negotiations with Iran.

Trump added that the renewed effort would be expanded into what he called "Project Freedom plus." Speaking to reporters at the White House before travelling to a dinner at his golf course in Sterling, Virginia, Trump said that he might "go back to Project Freedom" if a deal is not reached, but it would be "Project Freedom plus", noting that the initiative would be the same as its predecessor, "plus other things".

"We'll go a different route if everything doesn't get signed up, buttoned up," Trump said. "I think Project Freedom is good, but I think we have other ways of doing it also. We may go back to Project Freedom if things don't happen, but it'd be Project Freedom plus, meaning Project Freedom plus other things," he added.

Apoorva Shukla is a journalist at Times Now, where she thrives on dissecting political developments both at home and abroad. A graduate of Delhi Univ...View More

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