US Has Turned Around 27 Ships at Strait of Hormuz Since Blockade

The United States has rejected 27 vessels around the Strait of Hormuz since beginning its blockade in the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea, U.S. Central Command said on April 20.

The military said in an X post that it had ordered the ships to turn around and return to Iranian ports. The blockade began on April 13 and since then, the United States and Iran have held talks in Pakistan but have not reached a deal

There were no clear signs of direct U.S.–Iran negotiations over the weekend, despite earlier indications from President Donald Trump that talks could take place. A ceasefire is set to expire on April 22.

In an April 19 social media post, the president accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by firing bullets at a French ship and a British freighter on April 18.

The U.S. military said it opened fire on an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel bound for Iran’s Bandar Abbas port on April 19 following a standoff. U.S. Central Command released footage showing Marines rappelling from helicopters onto the ship.

Iran’s military said the vessel had been traveling from China and accused the United States of “armed piracy,” according to state media. Officials said they were prepared to confront U.S. forces over what they called “blatant aggression,” but were limited by the presence of crew members’ families on board.

China, the largest buyer of Iranian crude, voiced concern over what it described as a “forced interception.” Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping called for maritime traffic through the strait to continue uninterrupted and urged a resolution through political and diplomatic means, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.

Trump warned on April 19 that the United States would destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if it refused his terms, continuing a pattern of escalating threats.

Iran has said that any U.S. attack on its civilian infrastructure would be met with strikes on power stations and desalination facilities in neighboring Gulf Arab states.

Trump told Bloomberg that it is “highly unlikely” that he will extend the ceasefire.

“I’m not going to be rushed into making a bad deal. We’ve got all the time in the world,” he said.

Iran said on April 18 that it was tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz, warning mariners that the critical energy route was effectively closed again. Trump responded that Tehran could not blackmail the United States by shutting the waterway.

Tehran said its actions were a response to the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, which it described as a violation of a ceasefire agreement. Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a social media post over the weekend that Iran’s navy was prepared to inflict “new bitter defeats” on its enemies.

Iranian state media, citing the Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran’s control over the strait includes requiring payments for security, safety, and environmental protection services. The council also said the United States had presented new proposals following Pakistan-mediated talks in recent days, which Iran was still reviewing.

State television also quoted ​the Supreme National Security Council as saying the United States had put forward new proposals after talks mediated by Pakistan in recent days. Tehran was considering them but had not yet responded, it said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said there are “no plans for the next round of negotiations” and stressed that Iran will be “prioritizing national interests and benefits.”

Tehran’s renewed hardline stance has increased uncertainty around the conflict, raising concerns that oil and gas shipments through the strait could remain disrupted as Washington considers whether to extend the fragile ceasefire.

Trump said the United States was engaged in “very good conversations” with Iran but said that Tehran was seeking to close the strait again, reiterating that such pressure tactics would not succeed.

Iran had briefly reopened the Strait of Hormuz following a separate U.S.-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. That agreement came after Israel launched operations in southern Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s entry into the conflict in early March.

However, on April 18, Iran’s armed forces command said the strait had returned to strict military control, citing what it called repeated U.S. violations and “piracy” under the cover of a blockade.

The conflict began on Feb. 28 with a joint U.S.–Israeli strike on Iran and has since killed thousands, expanded into Lebanon, and driven up global oil prices because of disruptions in the strait.

On social media, Trump said he believed that his administration could strike a stronger nuclear deal with Iran than the 2015 accord negotiated under then-President Barack Obama. Trump withdrew from that agreement in 2018 during his first term, a move backed by congressional Republicans and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, oil prices have climbed by about 5 percent as traders worried that the ceasefire could unravel. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz nearly ground to a halt, with only three crossings recorded over a 12-hour period, according to maritime data.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said no timeline had been set for further negotiations, adding that a basic framework must first be agreed upon, the Associated Press reported.

Pressure to end the conflict has grown as domestic political challenges mount in the United States, including high fuel prices, inflation, and declining approval ratings for Trump ahead of the November midterm elections.

“The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said on April 17. “You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, and that supersedes everything else.”

Reuters contributed to this report.