CAIRO (AP) 鈥� The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz again Saturday as reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States pressed ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports.
The strait is closed until the U.S. blockade is lifted, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy said Saturday night, warning that 鈥渘o vessel should make any movement from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered as cooperation with the enemy鈥� and be targeted.
New attacks on the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the normally passes, threatened to deepen the global energy crisis and push the countries into renewed conflict as the war entered its eighth week.
A fragile is due to run out by Wednesday. Iran said it had received new proposals from the United States, and Pakistani mediators were working to arrange another round of direct negotiations.
Iran鈥檚 joint military command earlier said 鈥渃ontrol of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces.鈥�
Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some containers, the British military鈥檚 United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. India’s foreign ministry said it summoned Iran’s ambassador over the 鈥渟erious incident鈥� of firing on two India-flagged merchant ships, especially after Iran earlier let several India-bound ships through.
For , the strait’s closure 鈥� imposed after the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28 during talks over Tehran’s 鈥� is perhaps its most powerful weapon, threatening the and inflicting political pain on President Donald Trump. For the United States, the blockade keeps up pressure and could strangle Iran’s already weakened economy.
Iran鈥檚 new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued defiant remarks on Saturday, saying the navy stands 鈥渞eady to inflict bitter defeats on its enemies.鈥� He has not been seen in public since being elevated to the post following his father’s death in Israel鈥檚 opening barrage.
A turnaround a day after Iran said the strait was open
On Friday, Iran announced the strait’s reopening to commercial vessels after a was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed in Lebanon. The reopening caused oil prices to fall.
Trump, however, said the U.S. of Iran’s ports 鈥渨ill remain in full force鈥� until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Trump had imposed the blockade after a round of between the countries ended without an agreement.
U.S. forces have sent 23 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, U.S. Central Command said Saturday. Trump’s comments triggered an outcry.
鈥淎mericans are risking the international community, risking the global economy through these, I can say, miscalculations,鈥� Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh , adding that the U.S. is 鈥渞isking the whole ceasefire package.鈥�
Iran鈥檚 Supreme National Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent 鈥渁ny conditional and limited reopening鈥� of the strait. The council has recently acted as Iran鈥檚 de facto top decision-making body.
Since most supplies to U.S. military bases in the Gulf region come through the strait, 鈥淚ran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends,鈥� the council said. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates.
The Revolutionary Guard navy statement later indicated that no vessel should attempt a transit at all.
Pakistan pushes for progress toward a new deal
The renewed standoff over the strait came hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country was working to 鈥渂ridge鈥� differences between the U.S. and Iran. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of negotiations early next week.
Iran鈥檚 Supreme National Security Council said 鈥渘ew proposals鈥� from the U.S. had been put forward during a visit to Iran by Pakistan鈥檚 army chief and were being reviewed.
But Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks because the Americans 鈥渉ave not abandoned their maximalist position.鈥�
He also said Iran will not hand over its stock of 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium to the United States, calling the idea 鈥渁 nonstarter.鈥� Khatibzadeh did not address other proposals for the enriched uranium, saying only that 鈥渨e are ready to address any concerns.鈥�
Trump said Saturday that Iran 鈥済ot a little cute鈥� but that 鈥渧ery good鈥� conversations were happening, and more information would come by day’s end. 鈥淭hey can鈥檛 blackmail us,鈥� he added.
On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and 鈥済et all the nuclear dust,鈥� referring to the enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year.
French peacekeeper is killed in Lebanon
French President Emmanuel Macron said and three others were wounded Saturday during an attack on U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. 鈥淓verything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah,鈥� Macron wrote on social media. The UNIFIL peacekeeping force also blamed Hezbollah.
Hezbollah denied involvement.
Pakistan’s foreign minister said fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had been a key sticking point in U.S.-Iran talks, and the declaration of was seen as a boost to efforts for an Iran agreement.
It was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it didn’t play a role in negotiating, especially with Israeli troops still occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon.
In Beirut, displaced families began and the capital’s southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return home until it was clear whether the ceasefire would hold.
The Iran war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, , 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed.
__ Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank. Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Suzan Frazer and Andrew Wilks in Antalya, Turkey, contributed to this report.
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