The United States has captured an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel near the Strait of Hormuz by causing damage to the ship, as stated by former President Donald Trump. Trump announced on Truth Social that the Touska attempted to bypass the US Naval Blockade on Sunday, leading to an altercation with the US Marines who took control of the ship in the Gulf of Oman. This incident marked the first interception since the US initiated the blockade of Iranian ports a week ago.
According to Trump, the Iranian crew disregarded warnings, prompting the US Navy to intervene by causing damage to the ship’s engine room. The Touska was under US Treasury Sanctions due to previous illegal activities. Iran has not responded immediately to these events.
Iran considers the US blockade of its ports during the two-week ceasefire as a violation. Earlier, Iran rejected a second round of peace talks with the US as reported by the Iranian state news agency IRNA.
Trump had mentioned sending negotiators to Islamabad for discussions, threatening to target Iranian infrastructure if a deal was not reached. Tehran blamed Washington’s excessive demands and the ongoing naval blockade for its absence from negotiations.
The absence of Tehran in the talks raised doubts about the continuation of the ceasefire. Despite Iran’s willingness for diplomatic efforts, significant differences persisted between the negotiating parties. Security measures in Islamabad were heightened in anticipation of the talks.
The White House announced that Vice-President JD Vance, along with special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would lead the US delegation to Pakistan. Iran received new proposals from the US, but it remains uncertain if any progress has been made on contentious issues such as Iran’s nuclear program and control over the Strait of Hormuz.