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US Military to Pursue Vessels Helping Iran, Media Says
(MENAFN) The US military is mobilizing to intercept and board Iran-linked oil tankers and commandeer commercial vessels in international waters within days, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing US officials familiar with the plans.
The Journal revealed that American forces would pursue ships across the globe found to be aiding Iran — contingent on the two sides failing to reach a negotiated settlement. The escalatory move is designed to intensify economic pressure on Tehran, compelling it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and yield ground in stalled negotiations over its nuclear program, the report said.
The announcement arrives amid sharp contradictions from Iranian officials over the strait's status. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had declared the waterway "completely open" to all commercial traffic. Yet just one day later, an IRGC joint command statement reversed course, announcing the strait had returned to its "previous state" under the control of Iran's armed forces — citing an ongoing US naval blockade on Iranian ports as justification.
The standoff is rooted in a broader conflict that erupted on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched a joint offensive against Iran. Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and regional nations hosting American military assets. Active hostilities have been suspended since April 8, following a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire.
Diplomatic efforts remain in motion, with Washington and Tehran having held direct talks in Pakistan last weekend. A follow-up session in Islamabad is currently being arranged.
The Journal revealed that American forces would pursue ships across the globe found to be aiding Iran — contingent on the two sides failing to reach a negotiated settlement. The escalatory move is designed to intensify economic pressure on Tehran, compelling it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and yield ground in stalled negotiations over its nuclear program, the report said.
The announcement arrives amid sharp contradictions from Iranian officials over the strait's status. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had declared the waterway "completely open" to all commercial traffic. Yet just one day later, an IRGC joint command statement reversed course, announcing the strait had returned to its "previous state" under the control of Iran's armed forces — citing an ongoing US naval blockade on Iranian ports as justification.
The standoff is rooted in a broader conflict that erupted on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched a joint offensive against Iran. Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and regional nations hosting American military assets. Active hostilities have been suspended since April 8, following a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire.
Diplomatic efforts remain in motion, with Washington and Tehran having held direct talks in Pakistan last weekend. A follow-up session in Islamabad is currently being arranged.
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