Tehran:The Iranian regime on Thursday released a video purportedly showing its soldiers boarding and seizing a commercial container ship in theStrait of Hormuz. The video has been posted by state-affiliated media Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. The video showed masked armed personnel scaling the hull of the cargo vessel. The Iranian soldiers then reportedly took control of the deck.
After the video was released, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that the Iranian forces captured two vessels in the key waterway on Wednesday. The IRGC further claimed that after the seizure of the two vessels, they were directed towards the Iranian coast.
Notably, the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, has been virtually blocked by the IRGC following the US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on February 28. The US also imposed a naval blockade in the strait after the first rounds of talks with Iran failed earlier this month. The key waterway accounts for 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquified natural gas (LNG) trade.
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Meanwhile, at least Iranian-flagged vessels were reportedly intercepted by the US military on Wednesday. These tankers were intercepted as part of the naval blockade imposed by the US. According to a report by Reuters, citing shipping and security sources, these vessels were redirected away from their positions near India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. These ships are - Iranian-flagged Deep Sea supertanker, Sevin and Dorena.
In an X post, US Central Command said that the tanker Dorena was being escorted by a US Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean as it allegedly attempted to breach the blockade.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening (local time) said that there is "no pressure" to resume talks with Iran. In an interview with Fox News, Trump also denied reports claiming that the ceasefire was extended for just a short period of "three to five" days. He termed these media reports as "false."
The US President's remarks on the peace talks with Iran came a day after he extended the ceasefire for an indefinite period. "There is no time frame and no rush," Trump told the media house. He even clarified that the Iran war's timeline is not linked to the mid-term polls. "People say I want to get it over because of the midterms, not true,” he said. Trump further added that his administration is focusing on securing a "good deal" with Tehran, which would be beneficial for Americans.
Trump again boasted about his move to impose a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. He even claimed that the blockade is more effective than bombing. "The blockade scares them even more than the bombing,” Trump said in the interview. "They’ve been bombed for years but the blockade they hate," he added.
Sumit Sharma is a Deputy News Editor at Times Now with around a decade of experience across print, electronic, and digital media. Previously, he worke...View More
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