Iran closes Strait of Hormuz once again, fires on tankers
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A view of the vessels heading towards the Strait of Hormuz following the two-week temporary ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran. Photo by Shady Alassar/Anadolu via Getty Images
Iran said on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz is again closed to traffic following threats of such action if the U.S. continued its blockade of the shipping channel.
Why it matters: The closure could be a setback to efforts toward a new round of negotiations on a deal to end the war and will add pressure to an already tense situation between Iran and the U.S.
The latest: Fars, Iran's semi-official state news agency, first reported the closure, citing the ongoing blockade and quoting an Iranian official as saying that the U.S. "continue to engage in banditry and maritime piracy."
- "As long as the United States does not agree to the complete freedom of navigation for vessels .... the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain tightly controlled and in its previous state," the military official said, according to Fars.
- U.S. Central Command said 23 ships complied with U.S. instructions to turn around since the blockade began earlier this week. It was unclear how many of those ships received instructions after the Strait was closed.
Adding more strain are reports from a U.S. defense official and the U.K. Maritime Trade Operation (UKMTO) that Iran has fired on tankers in the Strait.
- A U.S. official told Axios that at least three attacks on commercial ships have occurred so far on Saturday, while the UKMTO reported two attacks. At least one ship was hit and caused some damage, but there were no reports of injuries.
- Audio recordings from the attacks indicate that one of the ships was given clearance to enter the Strait and then was fired upon, prompting the dispatcher to say they were turning around.
- According to TankerTrackers.com, two of the ships fired upon were Indian vessels, one carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil.
Between the lines: The new developments come just hours after President Trump said he expected a deal with Iran "in a day or two."
- Trump repeatedly said Friday that Iran had agreed to several stipulations the U.S. has been pushing for in talks, including that Iran agreed to stop enriching uranium "forever."
- Negotiators for the U.S. and Iran are expected to meet this weekend to continue peace talks. It's unclear if that will go ahead.
What they're saying: Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Saturday, Trump said Iran "got a little cute ... they wanted to close up the Strait again," and later added that the nation "can't blackmail us."
- Trump said the U.S. is still talking to Iran and noted he will know by the end of the day if the parties are going to move forward with a deal.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information throughout.
