The Iranian government has released a video purportedly documenting the seizure of a commercial container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.The video, shared by Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic Broadcasting Corporation, showed armed members of the Iranian military wearing masks climbing the cargo ship’s hull to take control of the deck. The situation escalated after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its forces “captured two vessels in the strait on Wednesday.”After the boarding operation ended, the military confirmed that the situation was still under their control, noting that “both ships were heading towards the Iranian coast.”At the same time, Panama issued a sharp diplomatic response to the issue of the seizure of ships, strongly condemning the seizure of the “MSC Francesca” and calling the seizure of ships flying its flag “illegal.” Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that although the ship was Italian-owned, it was registered under the Panamanian flag.“The ship was seized while passing through the Strait of Hormuz and forcibly taken to Iranian territorial waters,” the ministry said. Officials further warned that Tehran’s actions “posed a serious threat to maritime security” and called the incident an “unnecessary escalation” at a time when the international community is seeking to keep the waterway open without “any form of threats or blackmail.”Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps detailed the operation and identified the seized ships as the “MSC-FANCESCA” and the “EPAMINODES”. In a statement reported by Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB), the military claimed the ships were involved in violations while passing through the strategic waterway.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards accused the crew of “tampering with navigation aid systems and endangering maritime security.” Citing the statement, IRIB said the MSC-FRANCESCA belonged to the “Zionist regime” and claimed that both ships attempted to “secretly leave the Strait of Hormuz without authorization.”The maritime confrontation emerged just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the temporary ceasefire. In an interview with CNBC, Trump directly called for a diplomatic breakthrough, suggesting Iran could secure a prosperous future through a new deal.“If a deal is reached, Iran is on very good footing,” the president said, noting that the situation in Tehran could change completely. Despite maintaining the naval blockade, Trump urged the Iranian government to adopt a pragmatic strategy, adding, “They have to use reason, they have to use common sense, and they can put themselves in a good position to make themselves a great country.”“However, the move was met with skepticism in Tehran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the United States for its “hypocrisy” and contradictory behavior.“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed and will continue to welcome dialogue and agreements. Malice, siege and threats are the main obstacles to real negotiations,” Pezeshkian wrote in a post onAlthough the New York Post reported that Trump believes it is “possible” to hold a new round of talks within 36 to 72 hours, the path forward remains cloudy. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Bakkai said Tehran had not yet reached a final decision on participating in the upcoming round of mediation discussions.
