President Trump has reaffirmed that the United States will persist in its blockade of Iranian ports, a stance underscored by recent attacks highlighting the perilous conditions in the Strait of Hormuz. This crucial waterway, responsible for the transit of 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas during stable times, remains a focal point of concern.
Even with the potential for a ceasefire to mostly hold, and assuming Iran and the US refrain from escalating hostilities, the conflict casts a long shadow over the global economy. The ongoing turmoil has already driven up gas prices beyond the immediate region and increased the cost of food and numerous other commodities. As long as the strait’s closure persists, the economic impact will deepen and extend, delaying any potential recovery.
While there has been no official response from Iran regarding Trump’s blockade extension, an Iranian diplomat indicated that any negotiations would be postponed until the blockade is lifted.
In a recent development, Iranian forces targeted a container ship in the strait early Wednesday, with a second vessel coming under attack shortly thereafter, as reported by the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations Centre.
Three ships come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran opened fire on a container ship in the strait on Wednesday morning, and a second was attacked a short time later, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre.
Iranian state television reported later reported that the ships were in the Revolutionary Guard’s custody and being taken to Iran. It identified the vessels as the MSC Francesca and the Epaminodes. The ship’s owners could not be immediately reached for comment.
The seizures represent an escalation by Iran’s leaders, who appear poised to drive a harder bargain with American negotiators after two other rounds of talks with the Trump administration ended in open warfare.
The semi-official Nour News, Fars and Mehr news agencies then reported the Guard attacked a third vessel called the Euphoria. They said the vessel had become “stranded” on the Iranian coast, without elaborating.
The UKMTO said the first ship was attacked by a Revolutionary Guard gunboat that did not hail the ship before firing. It added that nobody was hurt in the attack.
Iran’s Nour News, however, reported that the Guard only opened fire on the ship after it had “ignored the warnings of the Iranian armed forces.” Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency described the attack as Iran “lawfully enforcing” its control over the Strait of Hormuz.
There have been more than 30 attacks on ships in the Mideast since the war began February 28 with US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
It’s not clear when talks will restart
Iran’s ability to restrict traffic through the strait — which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean — has proved a major strategic advantage.
While the ceasefire means that American and Israeli airstrikes have stopped in Iran — and Tehran’s missiles no longer target Israel and the wider Middle East — the attacks in the strait and earlier American interdictions of Iranian ships show the maritime threat remains.
Without any diplomatic agreement, those attacks may continue, likely deterring more ships from even attempting to pass through the strait, and further squeeze global energy supplies.
On Wednesday, Brent crude oil, the international standard, was trading higher than $98 ($137) a barrel, up 35 per cent since the war started.
Iran appeared to dig in on Wednesday, with its Revolutionary Guard vowing to “deliver crushing blows beyond the enemy’s imagination to its remaining assets in the region.”
The night before, hard-line supporters of Iran’s theocracy held rallies in which the Guard showed off missiles and launchers — a sign of defiance to Israel and the US, which devoted much of their airstrike campaign to destroying the county’s ballistic missile arsenal.
It’s not clear when talks might restart. Two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press that Islamabad is still waiting to hear from Tehran on when it will send a delegation for another round. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media. Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, the head of the Iranian mission in Egypt, told The Associated Press that no delegation would go to Pakistan until the US lifts its blockade.
One killed in drone attack in Lebanon
In Lebanon, where between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah broke out two days after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran to start the war, the state-run National News Agency said a morning Israeli drone strike on the village of Jabbour killed one and wounded two others.
Israel’s military denied that it had attacked the area.
Since a 10-day ceasefire went into effect there on Friday, there have been several Israeli strikes while Hezbollah claimed its first attack on Tuesday.
Since the war started, at least 3375 people have been killed in Iran, according to authorities. More than 2290 people has been killed in Lebanon, 23 people have died in Israel and more than a dozen have died in Gulf Arab states.
Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members throughout the region have been killed.
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