Iran warned the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States lifts what Tehran called a naval blockade of Iranian ports, even as diplomatic talks continue and skirmishes at sea raised fresh tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. representatives will be in Pakistan for further negotiations on Monday and described talks with Iran as “very good,” while Iranian officials cautioned that a final peace agreement remains distant, AFP reported.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said two gunboats belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz; the tanker and its crew were later reported safe, AP said. Shipping tracker TankerTrackers.com added that several vessels, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, were forced to turn back after coming under fire in the strait.
An Indian government source told Reuters that one of the vessels attacked was the Sanmar Herald. The incidents underscore the risks to commercial shipping through the narrow, oil‑transit chokepoint that Iran has declared off‑limits until the U.S. naval posture changes.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, one of Tehran’s negotiators in talks aimed at ending the war launched by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic, said in a televised address that while there has been some progress with Washington, “significant gaps remain and several core issues are still unresolved.” He added: “We are still far from the final discussion.”
President Trump, while saying there were “very good conversations” with Iran, warned Tehran not to attempt to “blackmail” the United States. Separately, Hezbollah denied any link to an incident involving UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh‑Bint Jbeil area and urged caution pending investigations by the Lebanese army.
The market reaction was swift: Brent crude fell about 9% on Friday to roughly $90 a barrel, erasing most of the wartime gains, and diesel prices in the U.S. and Europe also eased, Bloomberg reported. The combination of naval confrontations, threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz and halting diplomatic progress keeps regional stability and global energy markets on edge.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/world/iran-us-war-live-indian-ships-strait-of-hormuz-donald-trump-brent-crude-price-today-april-19-sanmar-herald-hezbollah-11776564846064.html
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Publish Date: 2026-04-20 05:40:00
