Iran’s vow not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as long as a US naval blockade remained in place despite a ceasefire extension, as the Gulf nation announced the seizure of two ships trying to cross the strategic waterway.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said late Wednesday that it had also “directed 31 vessels to turn around or return to port” as part of its own “blockade against Iran”.
As the clock ticked for a return to the war that has engulfed the region, US President Donald Trump had said Tuesday he would maintain the truce to allow more time for Pakistani-brokered peace talks.
Iran said it welcomed the efforts by Pakistan but made no other comment on Trump’s announcement.
“A complete ceasefire only has meaning if it is not violated through a naval blockade,” said Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Tehran’s delegation in the first round of talks in Islamabad.
“Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible amid a blatant violation of the ceasefire.”
Oil prices jumped four percent before easing Thursday after Iran vowed not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so long as a US blockade remained in place.
At around 0025 GMT, the benchmark US oil contract West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed 4.06 percent to $96.73 per barrel. International oil benchmark Brent North Sea crude rose 3.62 percent to $105.63. Both eased back in the following minutes.
Trump had said he wanted to give time for Iran’s “fractured” leadership to come up with a proposal, in what many observers saw as a face-saving way to avoid renewed war.
Trump told the New York Post that talks could resume in Pakistan within two to three days, even though Iran has not confirmed participation and Vice President JD Vance put his travel to Islamabad on hold Tuesday.
Trump also claimed that Iran at his request had halted alleged plans to execute eight women arrested over massive anti-government protests in the weeks before the attack.
But Iran’s judiciary described his remarks as “false news”, saying the women had never faced the death penalty.
