Iran's chief negotiator: 'It's not possible' for Hormuz to be opened due to 'flagrant ceasefire violations' by US and Israel

In a post on X on Wednesday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the “violations” included the US naval blockade of Iranian ports – which he said amounted to taking the global economy “hostage” – and Israel's “incitement to war” on “all fronts”, writes the BBC

Iran remains open to negotiations, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, but added that “breach of commitments, blockade and threats are the main obstacles to genuine negotiations.”

On Tuesday morning it appeared that the US and Iran would hold new peace talks in Pakistan this week – but they have yet to begin. Vice President JD Vance – who was to lead the US delegation in these talks – remains in the US.

On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced an extension of the US-Iran truce, which was set to expire on Wednesday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that Trump's contract extension is indefinite and has no new deadline. She added that Trump is “pleased” with the ongoing US naval blockade against Iran and “understands that Iran is in a very weak position”.

“The books are in President Trump's hands,” she said.

Asked by reporters when the war would end, Leavitt said Trump had to decide “and he will do it when he thinks it's in the best interest of the United States and the American people.”

The Iranian negotiator's latest comment comes as clashes continue on the dangerous waterway and vital global shipping route, with Iran announcing it has “seized” two ships in the strait.

The Euphoria, one of three container ships previously attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, appears to have dropped anchor near a port in the United Arab Emirates, according to MarineTraffic tracking data analyzed by BBC Verify.

The Euphoria ship, owned by the United Arab Emirates, was attacked eight nautical miles west of Iran, according to maritime security firm Vanguard. No damage to the vessel or injuries to the crew were reported.

Iran did not comment on the Euphoria, but said it had seized the other two ships – MSC Francesca and Epaminondas – both reporting damage from the attacks.

A statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the ships were “operating without authorization” and committing “repeated violations”, accusing them of trying to leave the Strait of Hormuz “in secret” and tampering with navigation systems.

It also warned it was “monitoring” cross-strait movements and promised “firm” action against violators.

Iran's IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency later published images of Iranian commandos attacking the two ships.

The latest positions reported by them indicate that neither has moved much since the attacks.

However, MarineTraffic data indicates that the Euphoria resumed sailing south after the reported time it was attacked, arriving approximately 13 nautical miles from the port of Khor Fakkan at around 14:00 BST (16:00 Romania time)

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis later confirmed that the Epaminondas, a Greek-owned ship, had been attacked: “I can confirm that there was an attack against the Greek cargo ship, but I cannot confirm that it was seized by the Iranians,” Gerapetritis told CNN.

Also Wednesday, the US Department of Defense announced that the Secretary of the US Navy will leave his post “effective immediately”.

No reason was given for John Phelan's dismissal. This comes just weeks after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Army Chief of Staff Randy George to resign. Undersecretary of State for the Navy Hung Cao will serve as acting secretary.

In her remarks to reporters at the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said that the US does not consider Iran's seizure of two ships in the Strait of Hormuz to be a violation of the ceasefire.

“These were not American ships and they were not Israeli ships,” she said.