Iran Seizes Two Cargo Ships in Strait of Hormuz as Trump Extends Ceasefire

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that its naval forces had seized two cargo ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz and directed them to the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval force this morning identified and stopped in the Strait of Hormuz two violating ships," the Guards said in a statement. "The two offending ships ... were seized by the IRGC's naval forces and directed to the Iranian coast." They identified one ship as MSC Francesca, which they belonged to Israel and the other as Epaminondas, which they said was "tampering with navigation systems and jeopardising maritime security." The IRGC further warned against any action against the regulations imposed by the Islamic Republic in the strait "as well as activities contrary to the safe passage" through the waterway. Tehran has said vessels must seek permission to leave or enter the Gulf through Hormuz, through a route that in peacetime accounts for a fifth of the world's oil and gas exports, along with other vital commodities. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the first ship was attacked by a Revolutionary Guard gunboat that did not hail the ship before firing. It added that nobody was hurt in the attack. However, Iran's Nour News reported that the IRGC only opened fire on the ship after it had "ignored the warnings of the Iranian armed forces". The state-run Fars and Mehr news agencies then reported the IRGC attacked a third vessel called the Euphoria. They said it had become "stranded" on the Iranian coast, without elaborating. The tanker seizures come after US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran would be extended indefinitely to allow more time for diplomacy, as a second round of peace talks remains on hold. The announcement came via a post by Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, a day before the existing truce was set to expire, in what he says was after a request from Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir. "Based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," wrote Trump. Sharif later thanked Trump for his "gracious acceptance" of Pakistan's request, saying the ceasefire extension would allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to proceed. Pakistan had planned to host a second round of talks, but the White House put on hold Vice President JD Vance's planned trip to Islamabad as Iran rebuffed efforts to restart negotiations. Iran has not yet responded to Trump's announcement of the ceasefire extension. Both countries warned on Tuesday that, without a deal, they were prepared to resume fighting. Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, worked intensively to get both sides to agree to a second round of ceasefire talks. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Iranian state-run media that there has been "no final decision" on whether to agree to more talks with Washington in light of what he called "unacceptable actions" by the US, referring to the US blockade of Iranian ports. In a Truth Social post announcing the ceasefire extension, Trump said his country would continue the blockade of Iranian ports, which was instated last week in response to Tehran's weeks-long closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. "I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other." In a separate post, the US president again reiterated that Iran is suffering losses of around $500 million (€426 million) per day due to the blockade. The US Navy on Sunday attacked and seized its first Iranian cargo vessel, which it said was attempting to evade the blockade. "Iran doesn't want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day (which is, therefore, what they are losing if it is closed!)," Trump wrote. The uncertainty over the war, ongoing peace efforts and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz have rattled global markets and global oil prices. Brent crude, the international standard, spiked to around $99 (€84) a barrel on Wednesday, a roughly $4 (€3.40) increase per barrel from the previous day's trade, as markets anticipated a resumption in hostilities. The US has accused Iran of manufacturing a global oil price crisis amid its insistence on keeping the vital waterway closed, and of "holding the global economy hostage." Iran has maintained that the Hormuz strait remains open to all ships, except those belonging to the United States, Israel and their allies.