Trump Says U.S. Forces Seized Iranian Cargo Ship as Tensions Rise Ahead of New Talks

By Anietie anii-bassey

President Donald Trump said Sunday that U.S. forces had seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz after it allegedly attempted to bypass a U.S. naval blockade in one of the most dramatic confrontations between Washington and Tehran since the start of the regional conflict.

In a social media post, Trump said the vessel, identified as the Touska, was intercepted in the Gulf of Oman after ignoring repeated warnings from a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer.

“Our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom,” Trump wrote.

Trump added that U.S. Marines had boarded the ship, taken it into custody and were inspecting its cargo.

The seizure marked a sharp escalation in the ongoing standoff between the United States and Iran over control of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes.

The incident came just days before a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is due to expire and as both sides were preparing for another round of direct negotiations in Pakistan.

Trump said American negotiators would travel to Pakistan on Monday in hopes of extending the ceasefire before it expires Wednesday. The talks would follow a previous round of face-to-face negotiations that lasted 21 hours last weekend but ended without a breakthrough.

Despite Trump’s announcement, Iranian officials had not formally confirmed participation by Sunday evening. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, said in an interview aired on state television that Tehran remained committed to diplomacy but suggested major differences remained unresolved.

“There will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy,” Qalibaf said, while acknowledging that significant disagreements persisted between the two sides.

Pakistan, which is hosting the talks, also stopped short of confirming the meeting publicly. However, security measures in Islamabad were reportedly being increased, and regional officials said preparations were underway for the arrival of American officials and advance security teams.

The White House said Vice President JD Vance would lead the U.S. delegation, joined by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Iran said Saturday that it had received new proposals from Washington, although neither side indicated whether they had softened their positions on the key issues that derailed previous talks. Those issues include Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, its ties to regional militant groups and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also renewed his warnings against Iran, threatening major strikes on the country’s infrastructure if Tehran refuses to accept a U.S.-backed agreement.

“If Iran doesn’t agree, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge, in Iran,” Trump wrote.

The remarks drew criticism from observers who warned that such threats could further inflame the conflict and deepen fears of a broader regional war.

Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed to most commercial traffic as the U.S. naval blockade and Iran’s own restrictions continued to disrupt shipping. Hundreds of vessels were reportedly waiting at either end of the strait for permission to pass.

The prolonged disruption is worsening one of the most severe global energy crises in decades. In addition to oil shipments, the waterway is a critical route for natural gas, fertilizer exports and humanitarian supplies destined for countries such as Afghanistan and Sudan.

Iranian officials insisted Sunday that foreign ships would not be allowed to move freely through the strait while Iranian vessels remain restricted by the U.S. blockade.

“It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot,” Qalibaf said.

Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by firing at ships attempting to transit the strait. Tehran rejected that accusation and instead described the U.S. blockade as illegal.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei called the blockade an “act of aggression.”

Although Iran had previously announced the reopening of the strait after a temporary truce between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in Lebanon, Tehran later reversed course after Trump declared that the American blockade would remain in place until Iran agreed to a deal.

Tensions rose further after Iran reportedly fired on two Indian-flagged merchant ships on Saturday, forcing them to turn back. India responded by summoning Iran’s ambassador and condemning what it described as a serious incident. Indian officials noted that Iran had earlier allowed several India-bound ships to continue through the area.

For Iran, the closure of the strait has become one of its most powerful tools in the conflict, allowing it to exert pressure on the United States and global markets. For Washington, the blockade is designed to further weaken Iran’s economy by restricting its access to trade and shipping revenue.

The conflict, now in its eighth week, has taken a devastating human toll. More than 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, over 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen across Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon, while 13 U.S. service members have been killed across the region.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said late Saturday that Tehran intends to maintain tight control over all traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war fully ends. Under the current system, ships must follow routes designated by Iran, pay transit fees and obtain authorization certificates before entering the area.

The council has increasingly emerged as Iran’s most powerful decision-making body during the crisis.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has continued to push for diplomacy. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country is trying to bridge the differences between Washington and Tehran.

Dar spoke Sunday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also held a 45-minute call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh warned Saturday that the U.S. blockade is endangering the entire ceasefire arrangement.

“The United States is risking the whole ceasefire package,” Khatibzadeh said.

He also rejected any suggestion that Iran would hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium to the United States, calling the proposal “a nonstarter.”

Iran currently possesses about 970 pounds, or 440 kilograms, of enriched uranium. While Khatibzadeh said Tehran is willing to discuss international concerns over the material, he made clear that surrendering it is not under consideration.