Iran said on 20 April that it had no plans for the next round of negotiations amid the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and ships, and that normalizing traffic in the Strait of Hormuz could not happen unilaterally because of U.S. actions. The country's leadership also noted that removing enriched uranium stockpiles was never a negotiation option and has not been discussed in talks. Peace talks scheduled for this evening in Islamabad, Pakistan, appear unlikely to occur.
The latest Iranian comments come after U.S. naval forces intercepted and boarded the Touska, an Iranian cargo ship, as it tried to exit the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. CENTCOM says it issued warnings over a six-hour period before the USS Spruance fired at its engine room, disabling the ship. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) then boarded and seized the vessel. This is the first reported use of force to maintain the blockade.
The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed following a reversal of the reopening announcements by Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. A day after he announced that the Strait was open, the IRGC fired on at least two ships in the Gulf, causing them and others to turn back and signaling the Strait remains closed despite the earlier announcement. The Wall Street Journal reported that there is a growing rift in Iran between the hard-line IRGC and current political leadership, with the reversal over the Strait the latest sign of this split.
Given the diplomatic, political, and military whiplash over the last 72 hours, it is apparent the U.S. and Iran are as far from a deal as they have ever been and the prospects for a return to some form of conflict are high as the ceasefire is set to expire on 22 April. On 19 April, President Trump said the U.S. will destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if there is no deal and that he is preparing to hit Iran "harder than ever." A resumption of hostilities would likely include attacks on Gulf states.
Situation Report
- 20 April: Israel's security services say they worked to disrupt an Iran-backed network that planned to attack Israeli and Western sites abroad with some operatives killed in U.S.–Israeli strikes.
- 20 April: Iran has no plans for the next round of peace negotiations, country's foreign ministry spokesman says.
- 19 April: Iranian military spokesman confirms U.S. disabled and boarded an Iranian ship in the Sea of Oman, warns Iran "will respond."
- 19 April: Bahrain's king says country will review citizenship of those threatening country's "security and stability," following similar move by Kuwait.
- 18 April: Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is back under "strict management and control" by its military, a day after announcing the "complete opening," citing the continued U.S. blockade of its ports.
- 18 April: French shipping company CMA CGM says one of its ships was fired upon in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday; no injuries reported.
Airspace Status
- Iran: airspace closed
- Kuwait: airspace effectively closed/heavily restricted
- Lebanon: airspace restricted
- Qatar: airspace restricted
- Syria: airspace restricted
- Bahrain: airspace open
- Cyprus: airspace open
- Egypt: airspace open
- Iraq: airspace open
- Israel: airspace open
- Jordan: airspace open
- Oman: airspace open
- Saudi Arabia: airspace open/reduced flights
- UAE: airspace open/reduced flights
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