Deal Remains Elusive; US Warns It’s Capable Of Resuming War
WASHINGTON: The US military has stopped another merchant vessel trying to break through the American blockade of Iranian ports, a US official with knowledge of the situation told AP on Saturday.The Gambia-flagged bulk carrier Lian Star ignored multiple warnings from US forces overnight as it tried to enter an Iranian port, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. The ship was disabled by US aircraft in the Gulf of Oman and remains adrift there. The US forces have not boarded it, the official said.The US launched the blockade on April 17 in response to Iran effectively closing the strait of Hormuz.The United States warned on Saturday it was “more than capable” of resuming war with Iran after President Donald Trump said any peace deal must adhere to his red lines, including Tehran never being able to develop nuclear weapons. The White House had signalled Trump was close to a decision on a potential deal, though Tehran denied there was a final agreement on ending the conflict. US sources had told AFP the deal was waiting on Trump’s sign-off, but he made no decision after a White House Situation Room meeting on Friday. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, while attending a defence summit in Singapore, said on Saturday that Washington was “more than capable” of restarting the war.US bans Iranian buyers of military technologyThe US announced Friday that it is “dismantling a sophisticated Iranian network” used to obtain sensitive military technology. The network “impersonated and defrauded” dozens of American technology companies out of millions of dollars to “acquire advanced equipment -including spectrum analyzers and security detection devices – for Iran’s defence sector,” the US state department said in a statement.It did not name the technology companies who were lured into doing business through fake websites that “mimicked real American companies, using intermediaries in Dubai to receive shipments, and then smuggling the technology into Iran in violation of US sanctions.” The network was led by Iran-based Ali Majd Sepehr, the state department spokesman said.Qatar OK with temporary Hormuz fee to clear minesQatar opposes permanent legal fees for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, but a temporary fee is negotiable and could help restore normal passage through the key waterway, a top official said.A permanent fee would impact consumers and Qatar objects to any such move, deputy PM Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at a defence conference in Singapore. A short-term fee for mine clearing or similar purposes can be considered, he said.The comments were in response to a question about talks between Iran and Oman to impose a permanent toll system to formalise control of traffic through Hormuz, one of the world’s key trade routes. Iran has effectively closed the waterway in response to US-Israeli airstrikes that began late Feb.(Inputs from AP, AFP , Bloomberg)
