US Navy seizes Iranian-flagged cargo ship defying Hormuz blockade, says Trump

Donald Trump said the Iranian-flagged vessel, identified as Touska, was intercepted in the Gulf of Oman by the US Navy destroyer USS Spruance.

In Short

• Trump claims vessel ignored warnings and is under US Treasury sanctions
• Peace talks in Islamabad fail, US orders naval blockade of key oil route
• Iran refuses second round of talks, blaming US for truce violations

In a big escalation in the Gulf, US President Donald Trump has claimed that American forces have taken custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel after it allegedly attempted to pass through a US naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the vessel, identified as Touska, was intercepted in the Gulf of Oman by the US Navy destroyer USS Spruance.

"Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them," Trump wrote. He claimed the ship ignored warnings and was stopped by US marines. "Right now, US Marines have custody of the vessel We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!" he said. Trump also alleged that the vessel is under US Treasury sanctions due to previous "illegal activity".

After peace talks in Islamabad collapsed without a deal, Donald Trump had ordered a naval blockade of the world's most important oil chokepoint.

Meanwhile, Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency offered a different version regarding the incident in the Sea of Oman that denounced Trump's claim of taking custody of the Iranian-flagged ship. It said that the naval unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) prevented the attack on the Iranian vessel, and due to their timely presence and active response, the US forces had to step back after launching an attack on the vessel.

However, US Central Command, in one of its posts on X, mentioned that the US Navy stopped the vessel from entering an Iranian port, violating the blockade.

PAKISTAN PEACE TALKS FALTERS

The reported seizure of an Iran-flagged vessel comes at a tense point in the standoff, with US President Donald Trump racing to secure a deal with Iran before a two-week ceasefire expires on Tuesday. Constructive diplomatic efforts had picked up earlier in the day after Trump told The New York Post that his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would travel to Islamabad for the next round of talks.

"Steve’s going to be going there tomorrow night," Trump said, adding that negotiations were expected to resume soon after their arrival. There were, however, mixed signals over the US delegation. While Trump said Vice President JD Vance would not travel, earlier remarks from US envoy to the United Nations Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright had suggested Vance would lead the talks in Islamabad.

IRAN REFUSES TALKS, BLAMES US APPROACH

Any momentum towards negotiations was short-lived. Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency later reported that Tehran would not take part in the planned second round of talks in Pakistan, blaming Washington’s approach. Tehran cited "excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions", as well as an ongoing US naval blockade of its ports, which it considers a violation of the truce.

According to the semi-official Tasnim Agency, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian referred to the "continued breaches of commitments and the bullying and unreasonable behavior of the United States during the negotiations and the ceasefire period".

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Trump accused Iran of breaching a ceasefire agreement by opening fire in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming international vessels were targeted. "Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz -- A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it?" he wrote.

"NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!" he added.

Now in its eighth week, the ongoing conflict has triggered an unprecedented shock to global energy supplies. Oil prices have surged as the Strait remains effectively shut. With an April 22 ceasefire deadline fast approaching, pressure is building on both sides. If no deal is reached soon, the risk of further escalation is likely to increase.

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With inputs from inputs