US Central Command said Sunday it has rerouted 55 commercial vessels, disabled two others, and boarded two more since the US resumed its blockade on Iran. CENTCOM said in a statement that the US continues to enforce the blockade on Iran 'strictly,' noting more than 20 US warships are currently deployed across the Middle East supporting military operations, including enforcement of the blockade. President Trump said the US is prepared to let economic pressure on Iran escalate rather than order a fresh military strike, according to Axios. 'We're handling it quietly and discreetly,' Trump said, adding that the US is holding only 'semi-official' talks with Iran and is largely just watching the situation. He argued Iran is suffering from severe, genuine inflation and has no money, calling its economic position 'very bad,' and said the US naval blockade has deepened the Iranian government's economic crisis. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there are no direct talks with the US — only an exchange of messages through intermediaries — adding there will be no negotiations as long as US violations of the interim agreement continue. He said talks with Oman on a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz are progressing well and are in their final stages, with old routes to be replaced by new ones once experts finish mapping them. Reaching a deal with Oman, he stressed, does not by itself mean the strait will reopen, since that requires other conditions to be met. Iran's Revolutionary Guard affirmed the country will keep the strait closed until the US accepts 'all' of its conditions. Iran has set six conditions for reopening Hormuz, chiefly: ending military operations, lifting sanctions and the blockade, withdrawing US forces from the vicinity, paying war-damage compensation, and releasing frozen Iranian funds — while Washington says Tehran has pledged not to impose fees on ships and to allow the free flow of oil through the strait, amid Oman-mediated talks over navigation arrangements.
US Central Command said Sunday it has rerouted 55 commercial vessels, disabled two others, and boarded two more since the US resumed its blockade on Iran. CENTCOM said in a statement that the US continues to enforce the blockade on Iran 'strictly,' noting more than 20 US warships are currently deployed across the Middle East supporting military operations, including enforcement of the blockade. President Trump said the US is prepared to let economic pressure on Iran escalate rather than order a fresh military strike, according to Axios. 'We're handling it quietly and discreetly,' Trump said, adding that the US is holding only 'semi-official' talks with Iran and is largely just watching the situation. He argued Iran is suffering from severe, genuine inflation and has no money, calling its economic position 'very bad,' and said the US naval blockade has deepened the Iranian government's economic crisis. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there are no direct talks with the US — only an exchange of messages through intermediaries — adding there will be no negotiations as long as US violations of the interim agreement continue. He said talks with Oman on a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz are progressing well and are in their final stages, with old routes to be replaced by new ones once experts finish mapping them. Reaching a deal with Oman, he stressed, does not by itself mean the strait will reopen, since that requires other conditions to be met. Iran's Revolutionary Guard affirmed the country will keep the strait closed until the US accepts 'all' of its conditions. Iran has set six conditions for reopening Hormuz, chiefly: ending military operations, lifting sanctions and the blockade, withdrawing US forces from the vicinity, paying war-damage compensation, and releasing frozen Iranian funds — while Washington says Tehran has pledged not to impose fees on ships and to allow the free flow of oil through the strait, amid Oman-mediated talks over navigation arrangements.
US Central Command said Sunday it has rerouted 55 commercial vessels, disabled two others, and boarded two more since the US resumed its blockade on Iran. CENTCOM said in a statement that the US continues to enforce the blockade on Iran 'strictly,' noting more than 20 US warships are currently deployed across the Middle East supporting military operations, including enforcement of the blockade. President Trump said the US is prepared to let economic pressure on Iran escalate rather than order a fresh military strike, according to Axios. 'We're handling it quietly and discreetly,' Trump said, adding that the US is holding only 'semi-official' talks with Iran and is largely just watching the situation. He argued Iran is suffering from severe, genuine inflation and has no money, calling its economic position 'very bad,' and said the US naval blockade has deepened the Iranian government's economic crisis. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there are no direct talks with the US — only an exchange of messages through intermediaries — adding there will be no negotiations as long as US violations of the interim agreement continue. He said talks with Oman on a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz are progressing well and are in their final stages, with old routes to be replaced by new ones once experts finish mapping them. Reaching a deal with Oman, he stressed, does not by itself mean the strait will reopen, since that requires other conditions to be met. Iran's Revolutionary Guard affirmed the country will keep the strait closed until the US accepts 'all' of its conditions. Iran has set six conditions for reopening Hormuz, chiefly: ending military operations, lifting sanctions and the blockade, withdrawing US forces from the vicinity, paying war-damage compensation, and releasing frozen Iranian funds — while Washington says Tehran has pledged not to impose fees on ships and to allow the free flow of oil through the strait, amid Oman-mediated talks over navigation arrangements.
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CENTCOM: We've Rerouted 55 Commercial Ships Since Iran Blockade Resumed
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