Iran Blocks Vital Shipping Lane
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz to international traffic after briefly reopening the waterway, escalating tensions as the U.S.-Iran ceasefire expires on Wednesday. The closure affects roughly 20% of the world's crude oil and natural gas that typically passes through the narrow passage. Iran's chief negotiator, parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, declared on Iranian state TV: "It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot," linking the blockade directly to the U.S. military's ongoing restrictions on Iranian ports.
The U.S. military said it forced 23 ships to turn around as part of its blockade of Iranian ports. The UK's Maritime Trade Operations Centre received a report that two Iranian Revolutionary Guard gun boats fired on a tanker. India summoned Iran's ambassador in New Delhi after what it described as a shooting incident involving two Indian-flagged vessels in the waterway.
More than 20,000 seafarers have been stuck on hundreds of ships in the Gulf since the war began in late February. Iran's National Security Council stated the country is "determined to exercise supervision and control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war is definitively ended and lasting peace is achieved in the region."
Trump Signals Military Action
President Trump expressed uncertainty about the U.S. approach after the ceasefire expires, saying the country might "have to start dropping bombs again." He also stated he believes a deal could still be reached, leaving the path forward unclear as the deadline approaches.
Peace Talks Preparing in Pakistan
Neither the U.S. nor Iran has confirmed dates for another round of negotiations, but signs point to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, as the likely venue. The White House said last week these talks would "very likely" be held there after initial negotiations failed a week ago.
Public transport in Islamabad and its sister city, Rawalpindi, was suspended on Sunday until further notice. Restricted movement has also been observed in Islamabad's Red Zone, a high-security sector housing government buildings and most embassies. Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir traveled to Iran last week as part of the country's mediation effort between the two sides.
The sources also report that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is being tested following the deaths of a French peacekeeper and two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.