Iran US War: At present, the clouds of war have become dense over the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important sea route. On Wednesday, while on one hand it was announced to extend the ceasefire between America and Iran indefinitely, on the other hand the Iranian army attacked three merchant ships present in international waters. This attack is being considered a major blow to the global energy supply.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted three merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning. According to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the first firing took place without warning on a container ship.
Later, the IRGC Navy officially confirmed the seizure of two ships ‘MSC Francesca’ and ‘Epaminondas’. They have been accused of manipulating navigation systems and endangering maritime safety.
Additionally, a third Greek ship ‘Euphoria’ is also reported stranded near the Iranian coast. Iranian news agencies claim that this action has been taken to ensure the safety of the sea route.
Trump’s ceasefire decision failed
Let us tell you, President Donald Trump on Wednesday had announced to extend the ceasefire indefinitely, so that the path for peace talks could be opened. However, the ground impact of this decision seems to be negligible. Iran clearly says that it is not ready for peace talks as long as the blockade of its ports by America continues.
Iran is calling it a “legal action”, while for the US and other Western countries it is a flagrant violation of international maritime laws. There is silence on the diplomatic front too, as Iran has not yet confirmed sending its delegation for the talks to be held in Islamabad.
The increasing tension in Hormuz is directly impacting your pocket. The price of crude oil (bent crude) in the international market has crossed $ 98 per barrel, which has increased by 35 percent since the start of the war. Due to stoppage or increase in supply of oil and gas, not only the prices of petrol and diesel are increasing, but transportation of food items and other goods has also become expensive.