Iran Seizes Ships in Strait of Hormuz After Trump Halts US Attacks

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has seized two ships—the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas and Panama-flagged MSC Francesca—in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing them of lacking permits and tampering with navigation systems. A third vessel was fired upon but escaped undamaged.

This action came after US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he was calling off renewed attacks on Iran, extending a two-week ceasefire unilaterally while awaiting a unified Iranian proposal via Pakistani mediators. However, Iranian officials, including parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, rejected the extension, demanding the US lift its naval blockade seen as an act of war.

Qalibaf stated on social media that reopening the vital oil chokepoint, which carried a fifth of global oil trade before the conflict, is impossible amid the blockade. He urged recognition of Iran’s rights over the strait.

The US has redirected over 30 ships as part of its blockade and intercepted Iranian tankers far beyond the Gulf. Trump seeks Iran’s abandonment of highly enriched uranium to curb nuclear weapon risks, while Iran insists on a peaceful program and demands sanctions relief, reparations, and strait control.

Peace talks in Islamabad have failed to progress, with no new deadlines set. The war, sparked by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, has killed thousands, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. Israeli strikes there killed five, including a journalist, marking the deadliest day since a recent ceasefire.

Brent crude remains above $100 a barrel, straining global economies.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)