Iran: Re-opening of Strait of Hormuz not possible due to ceasefire violations

International

IRAN'S chief negotiator in talks with the United States stated it is “not possible” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing what he described as ongoing violations of the ceasefire by the US and Israel.

In a post on X formerly Twitter on Wednesday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the alleged breaches include the continued US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which he claimed has effectively taken the global economy “hostage,” as well as Israel’s “warmongering” across multiple fronts.

In a report by BBC, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran remains open to negotiations, but stressed that “breach of commitments, blockade and threats are main obstacles to genuine negotiations.”

Earlier in the week, there were indications that the US and Iran could resume peace talks in Pakistan, although negotiations have yet to begin. US Vice President JD Vance, who is expected to lead the American delegation, remains in the United States.

On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced an extension of the US-Iran ceasefire, which had been set to expire on Wednesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that the extension is open-ended, with no specified deadline. She added that Trump is “satisfied” with the ongoing naval blockade and “understands Iran is in a very weak position.”

“The cards are in President Trump’s hands right now,” Leavitt said. When asked when the war might end, she added that it would depend on Trump, “and he will do so when he feels it’s in the best interests of the United States and the American people.”

Tensions remain high in the strategically vital waterway. On Wednesday morning, Iran announced it had taken two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz for “inspection,” following earlier reports of attacks on three vessels in the area.

One of the ships, Euphoria, was tracked near a port in the United Arab Emirates based on MarineTraffic data, appearing to have anchored after the incident before later resuming movement southward to a position about 13 nautical miles from Khor Fakkan at around 14:00 BST.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis confirmed that the Greek-owned vessel Epaminondas had been attacked, saying, “I can confirm that there was an attack against the Greek cargo ship, but I cannot confirm that this has been seized by the Iranians.”

Meanwhile, the US Defense Department announced that Navy Secretary John Phelan would leave his post “effective immediately,” without providing a reason.

The move follows a recent leadership change requested by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who asked Army Chief of Staff Randy George to step down. Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao will serve as acting secretary.(Samantha Faye Alcoma, CTU-TC BAEL-ELSD Intern)