Iran refuses to participate in second round of peace talks, US seizes Iranian cargo ship

Iran has rejected the second round of peace talks with the US, citing several reasons for its refusal to return to the negotiating table, including US blockade of Iranian ports.

In a related development, US seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to ‘breach’ the blockade. ‘

Fragile peace in West Asia, therefore, hangs by a slender thread.

Iran confirmed that the US Navy had ‘attacked and seized’ an Iranian cargo vessel Touska in the Gulf of Oman, calling it a ceasefire violation. Iran also warned of retaliation.

Unconfirmed reports said Iran had launched drone attacks on the US ship.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters said in a statement that the US had violated the ceasefire by attacking Iranian commercial vessels.

Khatam al-Anbiya had warned that the Iranian Armed Forces will ‘soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy.’

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News agency said Iran has launched drone attacks on American warships after the incident.

Refusing participation in the second round of peace talks, Iranian officials have described US terms as ‘unrealistic and unreasonable.’

Iran has demanded removal of the US blockade as a pre-condition for the peace negotiations to continue and has accused the US of shifting goalposts.

Given these conditions, there is “no clear prospect” for fruitful negotiations at this stage, Iranian media reported.

The rejection comes despite President Donald Trump’s earlier announcement that a US delegation would be in Pakistan on April 20 for fresh discussions.

The current two-week ceasefire between the two countries is set to expire this on April 22.

Iran’s State-owned news agency IRNA said the decision not to participate in the talks was made due to ‘excessive demands’ and “unrealistic expectations,” of the US.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that it had seized an Iranian cargo ship on Sunday.

CENTCOM said in a statement that US forces operating in the Arabian Sea enforced naval blockade measures against an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on Sunday.

‘Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade,’ CENTCOM said.

After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room.

It said Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room. U.S.

‘Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.’

It said US forces acted in a ‘deliberate, professional, and proportional manner’ to ensure compliance.

Since the blockade’s commencement, U.S. forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port, CENTCOM said.