US seizes Iranian cargo ship near Strait of Hormuz; Iran threatens response

The United States Navy attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday as it attempted to breach a U.S. naval blockade, according to President Donald Trump and the military. Iran’s Joint Military Command called the boarding piracy and a violation of a ceasefire set to expire Wednesday, raising doubts about planned diplomatic talks in Pakistan scheduled to begin Monday.

The seizure marks the first naval intercept since the U.S. began blockading Iranian ports last week, escalating a standoff that has already killed thousands in a conflict now in its eighth week.

With the ceasefire expiration and the seizure of the Iranian vessel, the diplomatic path forward remains uncertain. Iran’s leadership has signaled skepticism about the planned talks, citing U.S. hostility and what officials describe as a lack of seriousness in negotiations. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which 20% of global oil trade flows, threatens to deepen an already acute energy crisis.

The Seizure

The U.S. Navy attacked and seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday as it attempted to breach a U.S. naval blockade, according to President Donald Trump and military officials. Trump announced the operation on social media, stating that a guided-missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman warned the vessel to stop. When it did not comply, Trump wrote, the Navy “brought them to a standstill by putting a hole in the engine room.” American Marines took custody of the ship, Trump said, and were examining its cargo.

It remained unclear whether anyone was injured in the incident. The U.S. Central Command, which declined to answer questions about the operation, stated the destroyer issued “repeated warnings over a six-hour period.”

This was the first naval seizure of this type since the U.S. began blockading Iranian ports last week, escalating a standoff that has already killed thousands in a conflict now in its eighth week.

Iran’s Response and Diplomatic Uncertainty

Iran’s Joint Military Command characterized the boarding as piracy and a violation of the ceasefire set to expire Wednesday. The incident raised immediate doubts about planned diplomatic talks scheduled to begin Monday in Pakistan.

Iranian state media, citing unidentified sources, reported signals suggesting the talks may not proceed. Within hours of the ship seizure, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke by phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to state reports, Pezeshkian accused the United States of intimidation and “unreasonable behavior” and warned that American actions have raised suspicions about whether Washington will abandon diplomacy, as it did in two previous negotiating attempts in June and earlier this year.

In a separate call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar that recent U.S. actions signaled “bad intentions and a lack of seriousness in diplomacy,” according to Iranian state media.

Pakistan, the host country for the planned talks, did not confirm whether the negotiations would proceed but began reinforcing security in the capital, Islamabad. A regional official involved in the mediation efforts said negotiators were finalizing preparations and that U.S. advance teams were already in place. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing lack of authorization to discuss the preparations with media.

Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to lead the U.S. delegation to Pakistan alongside envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to the White House.

Trump’s Threats and Stalled Negotiations

Trump reiterated threats against Iranian infrastructure that have drawn widespread criticism and denunciations that such actions would constitute war crimes. “If Iran does not accept the deal, the United States will destroy every power plant and every bridge in Iran,” Trump wrote on social media.

Iran’s main negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, declared in a state television interview that “there will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy,” but acknowledged that gaps between the parties remain wide. It is unclear whether either side has shifted positions on issues that derailed the last round of talks, including Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, its regional allies, and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran stated Saturday it had received new U.S. proposals, though deep disagreements remain on all major issues.

Control of the Strait and Global Impact

Iran has warned that it will maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz until the war ends completely. This control, according to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, will involve Iran-designated routes, payment of fees, and issuance of transit certificates. Hundreds of vessels remain unable to transit the critical waterway, waiting for authorization at both ends of the channel.

“Strait security is not free, and the choice is clear: either a free oil market for all or significant costs for all,” Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref wrote on social media. He called for an end to military and economic pressure on Tehran.

Approximately 20% of global oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, along with critical supplies of fertilizer for farmers worldwide, natural gas, and humanitarian aid to places in acute need such as Afghanistan and Sudan. The blockade and Iran’s restrictions threaten to deepen what experts warn is already one of the worst energy crises in decades.

Iran had announced the strait would reopen after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese political-military group Hezbollah took effect Friday. But after Trump stated the U.S. blockade would “remain fully in effect” until Iran reached an agreement with Washington, Tehran maintained restrictions on the waterway. On Saturday, Iran fired on ships attempting to transit.

For Iran, control of the strait is its most powerful weapon, inflicting political costs on Trump. For the United States, the blockade asphyxiates Iran’s economy by denying it long-term cash flow. Each side has accused the other of violating the ceasefire.

The War’s Toll

The conflict, initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28 during talks about Iran’s nuclear program, is now in its eighth week. The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 U.S. military personnel across the region have died.