The U.S. military redirected 20 additional commercial vessels away from Iranian ports last week, bringing the total number redirected under its naval blockade to 55, according to U.S. Central Command.
The command said on Sunday that American forces had also disabled two ships and boarded two others to ensure compliance.
The developments point to continuing maritime pressure as Washington and Tehran remain unable to reach an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been choked for more than five months.
Before the war erupted in February, the strait carried about a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and a fifth of global liquefied natural gas trade.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was “no possibility of restarting negotiations” while the United States continued to violate the June memorandum of understanding without compensation, according to Tasnim News Agency.
“Intermediaries are still making efforts to find ways to resume negotiations,” Araghchi said.
President Donald Trump said last week that Washington was taking a restrained approach and was prepared to wait for economic pressure to build in Iran rather than launch another military offensive.
“We are only semi-negotiating with them,” Trump told Axios. “We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money.”
Iran has demanded that the United States lift its naval blockade and sanctions, withdraw troops from the region, pay war reparations and release frozen Iranian assets before the waterway can reopen.
Tehran has also discussed a possible agreement with Oman to define transit routes through the strait. Araghchi said those negotiations had reached their final stage but would not reopen the waterway.
Oman said its talks with Iran were progressing in a positive and constructive atmosphere, while calling for an end to repeated attacks on vessels transiting the strait.
Shipping traffic remained limited. Kpler recorded eight confirmed crossings through the Strait of Hormuz last Friday, down 33 per cent from the previous day.
Oil prices rose on Monday, with Brent crude futures gaining nearly 1 per cent to $84.22 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rising 0.6 per cent to $78.63.
Iranian state media also published a draft plan that would bar U.S. and Israeli vessels from the strait and require compensation from countries Tehran considers hostile before allowing transit. The proposal is under review by Iran’s parliament, according to Fars.
