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US downplays Iran's seizure of European vessels
The US downplayed Iran's seizure of two European-owned vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as both sides sought the upper hand in their rival maritime blockades, with a stalemate in negotiations to end the war showing no sign of breaking.
Iran attacked three ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday and escorted two of the vessels to Iranian waters.
The operations demonstrated that two months into the war, Iran’s small attack boats can still control traffic in the waterway, despite US claims that its navy has been decimated.
Meanwhile, US Central Command said on Wednesday that it prevented 29 vessels from crossing its blockade, as Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that the US effort to boycott Iranian ports and vessels could soon “become global”.
But the Trump administration’s claims about the effectiveness of its blockade have been disputed by the maritime news site, Lloyd’s List, which reported that more than two dozen vessels, including tankers linked to Iran, have bypassed US warships in the Gulf of Oman.