US Prepares to Seize Ships Linked to Iran on High Seas

The US military is preparing to board and seize Iran-linked commercial vessels on the high seas in the coming days, officials say, widening a maritime campaign that has so far centered on the Persian Gulf region. The move follows Iran's assertion that it is again tightly controlling the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with reported attacks on commercial ships there. The Trump administration is using increased naval activity and economic leverage to pressure the Iranian government over its nuclear program and its control of oil exports, the Wall Street Journal reports. In other developments:

• Under fire: Two Indian-flagged ships reported being attacked while attempting to cross the strait Saturday. UK and private trackers reported that two gunboats affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on one tanker about 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. The UK monitoring agency said the crew members were unhurt, per the Washington Post. TankerTrackers.com said that in a distress call, a crew member said Iran had granted permission for the ship to cross the strait. India's government said it summoned the Iranian ambassador in New Delhi on Saturday night.
• No talks: A senior Iranian official told the AP on Saturday his government is not ready for in-person talks with US negotiators, blaming the Trump administration's "maximalist" demands on major issues, including a nuclear one. "I can tell you that no enriched material is going to be shipped to United States," Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said. "This is non-starter and I can assure you that while we are ready to address any concerns that we do have, we're not going to accept things that are nonstarters."

• Blockade: US Central Command said American forces have already turned back 23 ships attempting to leave Iranian ports as part of a de facto blockade, per the Journal. The next phase would target Iranian-flagged and Iran-linked tankers and cargo ships globally, including "dark fleet" vessels that operate outside standard tracking, insurance, and sanctions rules, according to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Pentagon has previously demonstrated it can intercept such ships far from the Middle East, including tankers tied to Venezuela.
• Trump responds: At the White House on Saturday, President Trump contended that talks with Iran are progressing well but that Iran "got a little cute" with the Strait of Hormuz. He didn't take questions from reporters. He added that Iran "wanted to close up the strait again," saying, "They can't blackmail us."