The US denies Iran’s claim that it rammed an American ship in the Strait of Hormuz – National
The U.S. military on Monday denied claims that Iran had shot down a U.S. warship as the U.S. military vowed to guide commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds have been stuck since the war with Iran began. Tehran has blocked ships that do not receive its approval.
Iranian news agencies, including the official agency, Fars, and the Iranian Labor News Agency, said Iran had rammed an American ship near an Iranian port in the southeast strait, accusing it of “violating maritime security and navigation norms.” Reports say that the ship was forced to turn back.
The US-led Joint Maritime Information Center advised ships to cross the port into Omani waters, saying it had set up an “enhanced security zone.” The US military said the new program could include guided missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 personnel but did not specify what type of support it would provide.
It was not clear whether the ships trying to cross the border, or the shipping companies, and their insurers would feel comfortable taking the risk as Iran fired on ships in the waterway and vowed to continue to do so.
Iran’s control of traffic through the world’s most important oil and gas supply artery has proven to be of great benefit in its war with the US and Israel, allowing Iran to inflict great pain on the world economy despite being ignored on the battlefield.
The effort to revive the road threat risks exposing the fragile ceasefire agreement that has lasted for more than three weeks.
US President Donald Trump in Sunday’s announcement that the US will “lead” the ships out of the way warned that Iranian attempts to stop them “will unfortunately have to be met with force.”
He described what he called “Project Freedom” in humanitarian terms, designed to help stranded seafarers, many on oil tankers or cargo ships, who have been stranded in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crews described to the Associated Press seeing captured drones and missiles exploding on the water as their ships ran out of drinking water, food and other supplies.
Iran’s IRNA news agency called Trump’s “Project Freedom” part of his “delirium.”
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Iran’s military command on Monday said ships passing by must contact them.
“We warn that any foreign military force – especially the US military – that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” Maj. Gen. Pilot Ali Abdollahi told state broadcaster IRIB.
The Joint Maritime Information Center said the US had established an “enhanced security zone” near the Oman side of the strait. It urged sailors to cooperate closely with Omani authorities “due to the expected volume of traffic.”
It warned that passing along the normal routes, known as the traffic separation scheme, “should be considered very dangerous due to the presence of mines that have not been fully explored and mitigated.”
Iran stands firm in its grip on the problem
The disruption of the waterway has pressured European and Asian countries that rely on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices for fuel, food and other goods far beyond the region.
Trump has promised to lower gas prices as he faces the midterm elections.
Iran has called for US action to end its crackdown on ceasefire violations.
The United States has warned shipping companies that they could face sanctions for paying Iran for shipping. We have imposed a shipping ban on Iranian ports since April 13, telling 49 commercial ships to turn back, the US Central Command said on Sunday.
The blockade deprives Tehran of the oil revenue it needs to boost its ailing economy.
US officials hope the blockade forces Iran back to the negotiating table.
“We think they got less than $1.3 million in tolls, which is less than their previous daily oil bill,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Sunday, adding that Iran’s oil supply will soon be full and “they will have to start shutting the wells, which we think could be next week.”
Iran’s 14-point proposal made public over the weekend calls for the US to lift sanctions on Iran, end the blockade of US ships in Iranian ports, withdraw troops from the region and stop all conflicts, including Israel’s operations in Lebanon, according to Nour News and Tasnim organizations, which have close ties to Iran’s security organizations.
Iranian officials said they had received and were reviewing the U.S. response, although Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters Monday that changing demands, which he did not specify, made it difficult to talk.
Iran has publicly announced that its proposal does not include issues related to its nuclear program and enriched uranium – a long-standing source of tension with the US.
Iran’s proposal calls for some issues to be resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire, according to Iranian media. Trump on Saturday said he was reviewing the proposal but expressed doubt that it would lead to an agreement.
The Iranian crew were taken from the hijacked boat
Pakistan said on Monday it had facilitated the transfer of 22 crew members from an Iranian ship that was initially seized by the US, describing the move as a confidence-building measure as Islamabad tries to revive talks between the two sides.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the crew members, who had been on the Iranian container ship MV Touska, were evacuated to Pakistan overnight. They are expected to be handed over to Iranian authorities.
The ship will be brought to Pakistani waters for repairs before being returned to its original owners, the ministry said, adding that the process is being coordinated with the support of Iran and the US.
