On the 22nd local time, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Command issued a statement announcing the seizure of two vessels for regulatory violations, which have been moved to Iranian coastal waters. The statement indicated that the ships, named MSC Francesca and Epaminodes, endangered maritime safety by manipulating their navigation systems without obtaining the required permissions. Both vessels have been detained and relocated to the Iranian coast. According to the statement, one of the ships is linked to Israel, while the other was deemed a threat to maritime security due to lack of necessary permits.
The statement emphasized that disrupting order and security in the Strait of Hormuz represents a "red line" for Iran.
Earlier reports from Iranian sources indicated that three vessels were intercepted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters on the 22nd. Two ships belonging to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) were stopped while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and were unable to proceed; a Greek-flagged vessel was also intercepted and remains in waters off the Iranian coast.
On the same day, maritime intelligence firm Vanguard reported that a cargo ship was attacked while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, marking the third such incident that day. The Panamanian-flagged MSC Francesca was reportedly attacked approximately six nautical miles off the Iranian coast while traveling south from the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf of Oman. The vessel reported damage to its hull and accommodation areas. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had issued reports of two vessels being attacked in the same area.
Separately, Iran's Press TV reported early on the 22nd that Iran has urged the United Nations to demand the United States release the Iranian cargo ship TOUSKA and its crew, describing the U.S. seizure as an act of "piracy." Iran's permanent representative to the UN, Iravani, sent a letter dated the 21st to the UN Secretary-General and the rotating president of the Security Council, requesting that the UN demand the immediate and unconditional release of the vessel, its crew, and all affected personnel.
In the letter, Iravani stated that the U.S. continues to violate international law and infringe upon Iran's interests, including through deliberate attacks on Iranian commercial vessels, and called for "urgent attention" from the international community. U.S. Central Command had previously stated on social media that on the 19th, U.S. forces fired upon the Iranian cargo ship TOUSKA en route to Iran's Bandar Abbas port, disabling its propulsion, after which U.S. Marines boarded and took control of the vessel.
In a related development, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bagheri issued a statement on the 22nd regarding negotiations with the U.S., stating that diplomacy serves as a means to protect national interests and that Iran will only engage in diplomatic efforts when conditions align with its interests and help consolidate the achievements of its people in countering adversaries. The statement expressed gratitude for Pakistan's mediation and affirmed that Iran's actions are legitimate self-defense against military aggression by the U.S. and Israel. Iran is closely monitoring battlefield and political developments while taking necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and security.
The statement further noted that Iran will defend its legitimate rights and pursue legal accountability and compensation from aggressors. According to Iran's Fars News Agency, Bagheri also remarked that attacking and seizing Iranian commercial vessels is not the behavior of a country genuinely committed to diplomacy. Iran has not committed to participating in a second round of talks and would only consider traveling to Islamabad for negotiations if it serves national interests; no decision has been made so far.
Additionally, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that a member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee, Maliki, stated on the 22nd that U.S. maritime actions and threats, which violate previous commitments, have hindered progress toward the next phase of U.S.-Iran negotiations. Maliki cited maritime blockades, attacks on Iranian vessels, and U.S. threats as reasons why the Iranian negotiation team did not travel to Islamabad for the second round of talks. He noted that although Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi had earlier expressed willingness to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping under the initially agreed framework, continued hostile actions by the U.S., including maritime blockades, have prevented the Iranian delegation from attending the talks in Islamabad.
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