DOHA, July 7. /TASS/. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it summoned Iranian Deputy Ambassador Mohsen Mohammad Qanei to hand him a note of protest in connection with the latest attack on Qatar’s Al-Rekayyat LNG tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

The note was handed over by Qatari foreign ministry’s Director of the Department of Protocol Ibrahim bin Yousif Fakhro.

"The nation of Qatar expressed its strong condemnation in connection with the attack on Qatar’s Al Rekayyat tanker as it was passing near the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring that this <…> constitutes a serious violation of safety of international navigation and a clear violation of the norms of international law and also presents a direct threat to global energy supplies," the ministry said in a statement.

In the note, Doha demanded that Tehran immediately cease actions that undermine stability in the region, provide immediate clarifications regarding the incident and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Also, the Qatari side said it reserves the right "to take all necessary measures to defend its interests in line with international law."

Earlier in the day, Reuters news agency reported citing a source that the tanker, carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), is at risk of exploding due to a fire in its engine room that broke out following an attack on the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel sustained significant damage, and the crew was evacuated, according to the agency.

A Saudi tanker with crude oil was also damaged in a missile attack on the night of July 7, Reuters said. Earlier, the Iranian broadcaster IRIB reported that a Qatari vessel had attempted to pass through the strait with US Navy support. According to the report, the tanker became the target of an attack after ignoring repeated warnings.