Washington, Apr 20: The United States attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship it said had tried to evade a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, and Iran’s joint military command vowed to respond, throwing a fragile ceasefire into question days before it expires.It was the first interception since the US blockade of Iranian ports began last week. Iran’s joint military command called the armed boarding an act of piracy and a ceasefire violation, the state broadcaster said.With the US-Iran standoff over the strait sharpening and the ceasefire expiring by Wednesday, it was not clear where President Donald Trump’s earlier announcement that US negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday for new talks with Iran now stood. He had said US negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday.The uncertainty sent oil prices rising again. One of the worst global energy crises in decades threatened to deepen.Trump on social media said a US Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman warned the Iranian-flagged ship, the Touska, to stop and then “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room.” US Marines had custody of the US-sanctioned vessel and were “seeing what’s on board!”It was not clear whether anyone was hurt. The US Central Command, which did not answer questions, said the destroyer had issued “repeated warnings over a six-hour period.”
Iranian state media suggest the talks won’t take placeThere was no comment from Iranian officials directly addressing Trump’s announcement of talks. However, Iranian state media, without citing anyone beyond unnamed sources, issued brief reports suggesting that they would not happen
