Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Seizes 3 Ships: What It Means for Hormuz Strait Security

Translation result

이란 이슬람혁명수비대의 고속공격정 훈련[IRGC/EPA=연합뉴스 자료사진 제공][IRGC/EPA=연합뉴스 자료사진 제공]

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on April 22 (local time) that it seized three vessels after they attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s permission. The move follows the collapse of a second round of U.S.–Iran ceasefire talks and President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the truce deadline until negotiations resume, and appears to signal a tightening of Iran’s forceful blockade of the strait.The IRGC Navy said it detained two container ships — the MSC Francesca and the Depaminodas — after they tried to leave Iranian waters without authorization and held them for cargo and document inspections. The IRGC alleged the MSC Francesca had ties to Israel and accused both vessels of repeatedly violating regulations and manipulating their Automatic Identification System (AIS).Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that the container ship Euphoria was also seized by the IRGC Navy while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.The IRGC Navy said it will continuously monitor passage through the strategic waterway for any actions that obstruct Iran’s law enforcement or threaten safe navigation, and pledged to take decisive, lawful measures against violators.The Associated Press reported that the IRGC fired on the three vessels before seizing them. Earlier, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz came under attack by an IRGC fast-attack craft at about 7:55 a.m. that morning. UKMTO said the vessel reported it had not communicated with the fast-attack craft before the strike, while Iran’s state-run Noor News said the IRGC opened fire after the ship ignored Iranian military warnings.#Iran #IRGC #Hormuz #ships #seizure Yonhap News TV inquiries and tips: KakaoTalk / LINE jebo23, Choi Jin-kyung (highjean@yna.co.kr)