- Iran says it stopped 'American Zionist' ships from entering Hormuz.
- The US military denies that Iran far missile attack report.
- Trump says the United States begins operation to help stranded ships.
DUBAI/DORAL: Iran said it had forced a US warship to turn back to avoid entering the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, although US Central Command quickly denied a report of a missile attack.
A senior Iranian official said Reuters Iran had fired a warning shot and it was unclear if the warship had been damaged.
Oil prices rose 5% on renewed concerns that the vital oil route, already closed for more than two months at enormous cost to the global economy, would remain blocked for much longer, with little sign of progress toward a negotiated resolution of Washington's conflict with Iran.
The Iranian navy said it had prevented “American Zionist” warships from entering the Strait area by issuing a “prompt and decisive warning.”
Iran's semi-official official fars news agency said two missiles had hit the warship near the port of Jask at the southern entrance to the strait, but Centcom denied that any warship had been hit.
He said his forces were supporting President Donald Trump's “Project Freedom,” which aims to “guide out” commercial ships stranded in the Gulf by the US-Israel war against Iran, and that they were imposing a blockade of Iranian ports.
Trump gave few details of his plan to help ships and their crews that have been confined to the vital waterway and are running out of food and other supplies. Shipping companies showed no signs of being ready to resume voyages.
“We have told these countries that we will guide their ships safely out of these restricted waterways, so they can freely and skillfully continue their business,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday.
The Iranian army's warning
In response to Trump's announcement, Iran's unified command told commercial ships and oil tankers to refrain from any movement that was not coordinated with Iran's military.
“We have repeatedly said that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is in our hands and that the safe passage of ships must be coordinated with the armed forces,” Ali Abdollahi, head of the forces' unified command, said in the statement.
“We warn that any foreign armed force, especially the aggressive US military, will be attacked if it attempts to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran has blocked nearly all shipping in and out of the Gulf, other than its own, since the start of the war, cutting off about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments and causing oil prices to soar by 50% or more.
Centcom said it would support Trump's “Project Freedom” with 15,000 military personnel and more than 100 land and sea aircraft, as well as warships and drones.
“Our support of this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy, as we also maintain the naval blockade,” Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of Centcom, said in a statement.
'Convoys are not a solution'
Hundreds of commercial ships and up to 20,000 seafarers have been unable to cross the strait during the conflict, the International Maritime Organization says.
Container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said on Monday its risk assessment had not changed and transit through the strait was not yet possible.
Numerous executives in the shipping and oil industries have said they need an end to hostilities and some kind of peace agreement because military convoys alone are not enough to allow normal traffic to resume safely.
The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of attacking an empty crude oil tanker belonging to Abu Dhabi state oil company ADNOC with drones as it attempted to pass through the strait.
In rare good news, Pakistan said the United States had handed over 22 crew members of an Iranian container ship that American forces had captured last month.
Islamabad, which has been trying to negotiate a peace deal, described the US move as a “confidence-building measure.”
The Trump administration has been seeking help from other countries to secure shipping in the Strait. Centcom said the latest effort announced by Trump would combine “diplomatic action with military coordination.”
It was not immediately clear which countries the U.S. operation would help or how the operation would work. It will not necessarily include US Navy ships escorting commercial ships, axios said journalist Barak Ravid in a post on X.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump said any interference with the US operation would have to be “addressed forcefully.”
Iran reviews US response to peace proposal
The United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, and American and Iranian officials held a round of face-to-face talks. But attempts to organize more meetings have failed.
Iranian state media said on Sunday that Washington had transmitted its response to a 14-point Iranian proposal through Pakistan, and that Tehran was now reviewing it. Neither party gave details.
A senior Iranian official has confirmed that Tehran plans to end the war on all fronts (including Israel's attacks on Lebanon) and resolve the maritime conflict first, leaving talks on Iran's nuclear program for later.
Washington wants Tehran to give up its stockpile of more than 900 pounds (400 kg) of highly enriched uranium, which the United States says could power a bomb.
Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful, although it is willing to discuss some restrictions in exchange for lifting sanctions. It had agreed to such restrictions in a 2015 deal that Trump abandoned.
Trump is under pressure to break Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz and try to prevent rising gasoline prices, which sparked a voter backlash against his Republican Party in the midterm congressional elections in November.
