US orders Iranian vessels back, UN urges parties to open Hormuz
Shafaq News- Washington/ New York
US Central Command announced on Thursday that it had directed 44 Iranian commercial vessels to return to their ports of origin.
U.S. Marines aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) stand watch in the Arabian Sea during naval blockade operations against Iran. As of today, 44 commercial vessels have been directed to turn around or return to port. pic.twitter.com/uisKpGHEqW
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 30, 2026
Earlier, Seyed Majid Mousavi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, warned that US naval vessels could face the same fate as American military bases in the region.
“The Iranian response to enemy actions will be long and painful strikes,” he said.
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Al Jazeera that Washington will not pursue an agreement with Iran similar to the one reached under former President Barack Obama. He said President Donald Trump has made clear that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon, adding that the United States seeks control over Iran’s enriched uranium to prevent further nuclear development.
Pigott also noted that Trump prefers direct, face-to-face negotiations and would not send envoys on lengthy trips “just to review a document.”
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all parties involved in the Strait of Hormuz crisis to act urgently to restore navigation rights and freedom of passage.
In remarks to reporters, Guterres stressed the need to immediately uphold maritime freedoms in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2817, expressing deep concern over restrictions affecting navigation and the disruption of oil, gas, and essential goods supplies.
