The IRGC says the aggression got here in response to what it described because the US seizure of an Iranian business vessel.
Printed On 22 Apr 2026
An Iranian gunboat has fired on a container vessel close to the coast of Oman, in accordance with a British maritime monitoring company, in an incident that occurred hours after United States President Donald Trump mentioned he would prolong a ceasefire with Iran.
The UK Maritime Commerce Operations (UKMTO) centre mentioned on Wednesday that the ship’s captain reported that the vessel had been approached by a vessel of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier than photographs had been fired.
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It “has brought on heavy injury to the bridge. No fires or environmental affect reported,” the company added. No casualties had been reported, and all crew members had been mentioned to be secure.
British maritime safety agency Vanguard Tech mentioned the ship was crusing below a Liberian flag and had been knowledgeable it had permission to go by means of the Strait of Hormuz, one of many world’s most strategically vital waterways.
Iranian information company Tasnim, nonetheless, mentioned the vessel had ignored warnings issued by Iran’s armed forces.
The incident adopted a warning from the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters after what it described because the US seizure of an Iranian business ship within the Sea of Oman, the IRNA information company reported.
It accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and finishing up “armed piracy” after allegedly firing on the Iranian vessel and disabling its navigation techniques.
Trump extends ceasefire
Trump earlier introduced he would delay a deliberate navy assault on Iran after requests from Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Writing on Reality Social, Trump mentioned the choice was made as a result of Iran’s authorities was “critically fractured” and wanted time to current a unified place.
“We’ve been requested to carry our Assault on the Nation of Iran till such time as their leaders and representatives can give you a unified proposal,” he wrote.
He added, nonetheless, that the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would stay in place and mentioned the navy had been ordered to remain “prepared and in a position”.
The announcement marked a shift from feedback made a day earlier, when Trump mentioned it was “extremely unlikely” he would prolong the truce past Tuesday.
‘Optimistic and destructive indicators’ from Tehran
Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, mentioned Iranian officers had been sending combined messages over the ceasefire and the prospects for negotiations.
“Tehran is saying they received’t negotiate below imposed phrases and situations … once we examine the preliminary 10-point and 15-point proposals by the Iranians and Individuals, we will perceive that the 2 sides are poles aside,” he mentioned.
“The environment can be clouded by this distrust in Tehran in direction of the US, in addition to the simultaneous navy rhetoric associated to a possible failed negotiation … It’s a warning that one other spherical of confrontation could also be forward.”
He mentioned Iran nonetheless seen the Strait of Hormuz as a key supply of leverage in any talks.
“It’s making an attempt to train authority over the ships and vessels transiting this strategically vital chokepoint,” he mentioned.
Asadi added that Iranian officers framed their regional place as primarily based on mutual safety. “Iranians are saying that the premise of their international coverage behaviour, significantly with regards to Israel, is safety for all versus safety for none,” he mentioned.
