The announcement came as Iranian forces seized two cargo ships in the strait—MSC Francesca and Epaminondas—marking a dramatic escalation in the standoff over the world's most vital oil chokepoint. Both vessels were taken for "inspection," while a third ship, Euphoria, managed to reach UAE waters despite being attacked eight nautical miles west of Iran.

Ceasefire Extension Fails to Break Deadlock

Trump's decision Tuesday night to extend the ceasefire indefinitely—originally set to expire Wednesday—was intended to create diplomatic breathing room. Instead, it exposed the fundamental contradiction at the heart of negotiations: both sides claim the other has violated the terms that brought seven weeks of warfare to a temporary halt.

"The cards are in President Trump's hands right now," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday, defending the president's decision to maintain the naval blockade despite the ceasefire extension. She characterized Iran as being "in a very weak position" and said Trump remained "satisfied" with the economic pressure campaign.

But Iran's Supreme National Security Council sees the blockade differently—as a fundamental breach of ceasefire terms that justifies continued control of the strait. Ghalibaf accused the US naval blockade of Iranian ports of taking the global economy "hostage" and condemned Israeli "warmongering on all fronts."

Economic Weapon Proves Most Powerful

For Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as perhaps its most effective weapon in the confrontation that began February 28. The waterway serves as a critical chokepoint for global oil supply and the primary export route for Persian Gulf producers. Continued restrictions have contributed to oil price volatility, inflicting political pain on Trump while demonstrating Tehran's outsized leverage over global markets.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy defended Wednesday's ship seizures, claiming the vessels were "operating without authorization" and had committed "repeated violations" while attempting to leave the strait "in secret." Dramatic footage released by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency showed commandos rappelling onto the ships' decks.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis confirmed the attack on the Epaminondas but told CNN he could not verify Iranian seizure claims. The ship's ownership—Greek—highlights how Iran's actions affect neutral parties rather than direct combatants in the US-Iran conflict.

Pakistan Mediation Efforts Stalled

Vice President JD Vance was scheduled to lead US negotiators in Pakistan-brokered talks this week, but those discussions have yet to materialize. Pakistani Foreign Minister Dar identified fighting between Israel and Hezbollah as a key sticking point in previous weekend negotiations, though a Lebanon ceasefire declaration was seen as potentially boosting prospects for an Iran agreement.

The lack of a timeline for either resumed negotiations or potential military action appears strategic, giving the Trump administration flexibility to let economic pressure accumulate. As former State Department deputy assistant secretary Andrew Peek noted, "The strategic disadvantage at the moment is that Iran has decided that the measure of victory has become control of the Strait of Hormuz."

The crisis has also triggered personnel changes in Washington. Navy Secretary John Phelan departed his post "effective immediately" Wednesday, with no official reason given. The move follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent request for Army Chief of Staff Randy George to step down, suggesting internal tensions over military strategy.

Leavitt notably stated that the US does not consider Iran's seizure of non-American, non-Israeli ships to constitute ceasefire violations—a distinction that may provide diplomatic cover for continued negotiations while Iran demonstrates control of the waterway.

As markets await clarity on both the strait's status and negotiation timelines, Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized Tehran's openness to talks while maintaining that "breach of commitments, blockade and threats are main obstacles to genuine negotiations." The standoff leaves vital global shipping routes hostage to a diplomatic impasse with no clear resolution in sight.