Iran vowed retaliation after a US destroyer fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday, as it was attempting to evade a US naval blockade. Tehran condemned the incident as “armed piracy” and warned its forces would respond soon. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Iran signals no plans to join US talks amid blockade tensions
Iran is not currently planning to attend talks with the United States, state media said, after President Donald Trump ordered US negotiators to travel to Pakistan on Monday, just days before a ceasefire in the Middle East expires.
State broadcaster IRIB on Sunday cited Iranian sources as saying “there are currently no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talks”.
The Fars and Tasnim news agencies had earlier cited anonymous sources as saying “the overall atmosphere cannot be assessed as very positive”, adding that lifting the US blockade was a precondition for negotiations.
State-run IRNA meanwhile pointed to the blockade and Washington’s “unreasonable and unrealistic demands”, saying that “in these circumstances, there is no clear prospect of fruitful negotiations”.
Iran vows response after US destroyer fires on cargo ship in Gulf of Oman
Iran’s military on Sunday vowed to respond after a US destroyer fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade a US naval blockade.
“We warn that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond and retaliate against this armed piracy and the US military,” said a spokesperson for the military’s central command centre, Khatam Al-Anbiya, cited by ISNA news agency.
• US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that US Marines took custody of a vessel that tried to get past the American blockade on Iranian ports.
• French shipping company CMA CGM confirmed that one of its ships was “fired upon with warning shots” on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the crew was safe.
• US negotiators are set to meet in Pakistan on Monday for talks, but Iran has not yet confirmed whether it will participate.
