Concerns grew on Monday (20 April) that the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, due to expire on Tuesday, might not hold after Washington’s Navy seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade of Iranian ports, with Tehran vowing to retaliate.
The U.S. military said on Sunday that it had fired on the vessel as it tried to bypass the naval blockade and sail towards Iran’s Bandar Abbas port.
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on social media that the U.S. had “full custody” of the ship.
An Iranian Military Spokesman warned that Tehran would “respond and retaliate” to what it described as an act of “armed piracy,” according to state media.
Efforts to build a lasting peace in the Middle East meanwhile appeared to be on shaky ground after Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Tehran had rejected new peace talks with the U.S. due to the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and Washington’s shifting positions.
Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said the reports of a second round of negotiations between the two countries in the Pakistani capital Islamabad were “false” and that the outlook for constructive talks remained “bleak,” just days after the U.S. said it was optimistic about the possibility of further discussions between the two countries taking place.
“U.S. excessive demands, unreasonable and unrealistic expectations, frequent shifts in positions, continuous contradictions, and the so-called naval blockade which violates ceasefire understanding along with threatening rhetoric, have so far hindered progress in the negotiations,” IRNA said in a post on social media website X.
Washington had hoped to kick off a second round of negotiations with Iran, before the ceasefire between the two nations expires on Tuesday.
Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said on Monday (20 April) that security in the Strait of Hormuz couldn’t be guaranteed, while Iran’s oil exports remain restricted.
“No one can restrict Iran’s oil exports while expecting free security for others,” Aref said on X.
Trump earlier warned Iran that the U.S. would destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if Tehran rejected his terms, continuing a recent pattern of such threats.
Iran has said that if the United States were to attack its civilian infrastructure it would hit power stations and desalination plants of Gulf Arab neighbours.
Meanwhile, oil prices jumped on Monday as investors dealt with conflicting messages about the Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz.
In early Asian trading Brent crude futures jumped about 7% to $96.85 a barrel.
However, Trump said his envoys would arrive in Islamabad on Monday evening, one day before a two-week ceasefire ends.
A White House official told Reuters the U.S. delegation would be headed by Vice President JD Vance, who led the war's first peace talks a week ago, and also include Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. But Trump told ABC News and MS Now that Vance would not go.
Pakistan, which has served as the main mediator, appeared to be preparing for the talks. Two giant U.S. C-17 cargo planes landed at an air base on Sunday afternoon, carrying security equipment and vehicles in preparation for the U.S. delegation's arrival, two Pakistani security sources said.
Municipal authorities in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad halted public transport and heavy-goods traffic through the city. Barbed wire was rolled out near the Serena Hotel, where last week's talks were held. The hotel told all guests to leave.
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