Iran condemns US ship boarding, warns retaliation | JQJO

Iran on April 21, 2026, condemned a recent U.S. operation against an Iranian-linked commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman, with judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei calling it a violation of the Iran-U.S. ceasefire and a “war crime.” Ejei said the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and coastlines amounts to an act of aggression and warned that Iran will respond to what it views as unlawful military and maritime pressure. His comments underscored Tehran’s anger over continued U.S. actions at sea, which Iranian officials argue undermine existing understandings between the two countries and escalate regional tensions.

Pakistan/Iran said rising friction is tied to broader U.S. maritime enforcement, including a Reuters-reported operation in which U.S. forces boarded the tanker M/T Tifani in the Indian Ocean, describing it as a sanctioned ship linked to Iran, as well as the earlier seizure of another vessel, Touska. Iranian officials say these measures, together with what they describe as a naval blockade, are directly affecting diplomacy and have left Tehran undecided about attending the next round of U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan, arguing that negotiations cannot move forward while Washington maintains pressure, threats and restrictive actions at sea.