US to board Iran-linked vessels globally ‘in days’ – WSJ

Washington reportedly aims to ramp up pressure on Tehran beyond the naval blockade to force it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and abandon its nuclear program

The US military is preparing to track, intercept, and board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships tied to Tehran in international waters worldwide, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing sources.

The move is part of a broader strategy dubbed “Operation Economic Fury,” aimed at cutting off Iran’s key revenue and supply channels, with the US Navy expected to begin implementation “in the coming days.”

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine already warned earlier this week that the US could expand operations against Iran’s maritime network beyond the region.

“The joint force… will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran. This includes dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil,” he said, signaling the campaign would not be limited to the Persian Gulf.

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The effort is set to complement the US naval blockade of Iran, launched on April 13, which targets all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports along the country’s coastline. US CENTCOM claimed it has intercepted or turned away at least 23 vessels so far, with estimates putting Iran’s daily export losses at $400-435 million.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the outlet that President Donald Trump believes the blockade and new maritime measures will help secure a deal with Tehran. Trump earlier vowed to maintain the blockade until an agreement is reached, threatening to resume strikes if talks fail to deliver results by Wednesday.

Tehran has condemned the blockade as “an act of piracy” and responded by re-closing the Strait of Hormuz earlier on Saturday, with reports of Iranian forces firing on commercial vessels. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would not allow transit if its own cargo is blocked, slamming the US blockade as “foolish.”

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The report comes as a temporary US-Iran ceasefire is set to expire next week after last weekend’s talks in Pakistan ended without a breakthrough and no new round is scheduled. Iran’s nuclear program remains the main sticking point. Trump demands that Tehran dismantle its infrastructure and hand over its enriched uranium – proposals it has rejected.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh on Saturday insisted Tehran is not ready to renew talks with Washington due to its “maximalist” demands over enriched uranium, which he called “a non-starter.”