Iran-US war live: Tehran warns it has ‘new cards to play’ on battlefield as Trump refuses to end Hormuz blockadenewsline24

Footage shared by the US Central Command on Monday (20 April) shows a crew member communicating with a ship attempting to enter an area of blockade, warning that the blockade on Iranian ports will be enforced against all ships “regardless of flag”.

He added: “Any vessel will further intent to enter or exit An Iranian port will be subject to the right of visit and search in accordance with international law.

“If you attempt to run the blockade, we will compel compliance with force.”

CENTCOM says US forces have directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port.

Hundreds of ships are to be evacuated from the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report in Bloomberg on Tuesday.

The International Maritime Organisation is working on a a strategy to help hundreds of ships that have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for over seven weeks, according to Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez.

However, the plans can only be put into action when there is a de-escalation, Dominguez said.

Iran has granted its commanders greater autonomy over militias in Iraq, allowing some groups to carry out operations without Tehran’s approval, a shift driven by the pressures of the war, three militia members and two other officials told The Associated Press.

Many Iran-backed militias are funded through the Iraqi state budget and embedded within the security apparatus, drawing criticism from the United States and other countries that have borne the brunt of their attacks and say Baghdad has failed to take a tougher stance.

Despite mounting pressure from the U.S., Baghdad has struggled to contain or deter the groups. The most hard-line factions now operate under Iranian advisers using a decentralized command structure, the five officials told AP, each on condition of anonymity to speak freely about sensitive matters.

Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and one of its key negotiators, has warned that Tehran has prepared “news cards to play on the battlefield”.

In a post on X last night, he wrote: “Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table— in his own imagination— into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering.

“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”

Xi Jinping has urged that the Strait of Hormuz stay open during a call with Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman.

During the call, Xi said: “The Strait of Hormuz ​should remain open to normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries ‌and ⁠the international community.”

China advocates an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, and insists on resolving conflicts in the Middle East through political and diplomatic ​channels, state news agency Xinhua cited Xi as saying.

His remarks come as tensions rise between the United States and Iran, with the ceasefire under strain after the US seized an Iranian ship and Iran signalled it may skip new talks.

On Tuesday, JD Vance is expected to lead the US delegation to Pakistan for a fresh round of talks as Iran is reportedly reconsidering its involvement in talks.

With the White House awaiting confirmation that Iran will attend peace talks in Islamabad, there are reports that officials in Tehran are facing pressure from the Revolutionary Guards to stick to a hard line.

Sources told Axios the powerful Iranian paramilitary wants there to be no new negotiations until the US ends its naval blockade.

In the end the decision is up to the supreme leader, while mediators from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have pushed Tehran to come to the table.

Donald Trump has warned Iran of “problems like they’ve never seen before” if it does not agree to a deal.

In an interview on The John Fredericks Show – a conservative radio show, Trump said: “They’re [Iran] going to negotiate. And if they don’t, they’re going to see problems like they’ve never seen before.

“And they’re going to negotiate, and hopefully they’ll make a fair deal, and they’ll build their country back up.”

Earlier, Trump said that it was “highly unlikely” he would extend the ceasefire if Tehran didn’t agree to talk.

Reports indicate Iran is reconsidering its involvement in a second round of talks in Pakistan.

JD Vance is expected to lead the US delegation to Pakistan on Tuesday if the talks look like they are going ahead.

Iran has condemned the US seizure of its cargo ship Touska and is demanding the crew be freed.

Iran’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns” what it described as “the illegal and brutal action” by US forces, and called for the “immediate release” of those onboard.

In a statement, the ministry said: “Without a doubt, the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all its capabilities to defend Iran’s national interests and security and to protect the rights and dignity of Iranians. It is obvious that the full responsibility for the further complication of the situation in the region lies with the US.”

The US, through US Central Command, says the ship was seized after it “attempted to violate the US naval blockade”.

US Central Command has shared images on social media showing what it says is an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, Touska, seized on Sunday after it “attempted to violate the US naval blockade”.

One photo shows thick black smoke rising from a container vessel, while another appears to show the same ship alongside a US military vessel.

Donald Trump said over the weekend that US marines intercepted the ship and took “full custody” of it in the Gulf of Oman after “blowing a hole in the engineroom”.

The US says it has already turned back 27 ships since the blockade began, as part of efforts to pressure Iran economically by restricting oil exports.

In response, Iran has warned it will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until the blockade is lifted.