The United States Navy deployed in the Gulf of Oman reportedly opened fire on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that was trying to overcome the blockade established by Washington and took control of it, according to an announcement by Donald Trump on his Truth Social account this Sunday.
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Following the announcement, the Iranian public news agency indicated that its Government in Tehran rejects Trump’s announcement about new peace talks, despite Washington having already dispatched a delegation to Islamabad.
The US president assured that the marines have breached its engine room and are holding the vessel in custody, although he did not provide details about a possible boarding. Iran, for its part, stated that the merchant ship is not under US control, but under the control of the Revolutionary Guard.
“The cargo ship Touska, flying the Iranian flag, attempted to break our maritime blockade and paid the consequences,” explained the US president.
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“A US destroyer intercepted the cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman and ordered it to stop, but faced with the crew’s refusal, the warship disabled it by firing at the engine room, and US marines now control the ship,” he added. The cargo ship reportedly departed from one of the Iranian ports blocked by the United States.
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Separately, the French shipowner CMA CGM reported this Sunday that one of its cargo ships was targeted by gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz, which caused no casualties but forced it to turn back.
According to the company’s statement to BFMTV television, the vessel received several warning shots this Saturday, without specifying their origin. Previously, Trump had indicated on his social network that Iran had fired at a French and a British ship.
The International Maritime Organization, for its part, confirmed that the ship suffered damage, without further details.
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