Trump Says US Fired on Iranian Cargo Ship Near Hormuz as April 20 Talks in Doubt

President Donald Trump escalated pressure ahead of the ceasefire deadline, saying US forces fired on an Iranian cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has said it will not negotiate unless the US lifts its maritime blockade, leaving talks scheduled for April 20 in doubt.

Trump wrote on Truth Social on April 19 that the US stopped an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz as it tried to break the American blockade and had taken control of it. He also said the ship's engine room had been pierced, suggesting the US Navy fired on and seized the vessel.

If no agreement is reached this time, Trump said, "we will no longer play nice guys." He said the US had made "a very fair and reasonable offer" and hoped Iran would accept it. Otherwise, he said, the US would destroy all of Iran's power plants and bridges. "They will come down instantly, easily," he added.

The US and Iran had appeared to be moving toward de-escalation on April 17 after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect and Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz open. But Trump kept the maritime blockade on Iran in place, and Tehran called that a violation of the ceasefire agreement before closing Hormuz again.

Attention is now focused on a second round of US-Iran talks reportedly set to take place in Islamabad. The main issues are whether Iran will be allowed to maintain its nuclear program and whether nuclear materials will be removed from the country. The US is seeking Iran's full abandonment of its nuclear program, while Iran is using a return to talks as leverage to demand an end to the maritime blockade. The gap between the two sides remains wide.

Trump's seizure of and gunfire at an Iranian vessel could further inflame Iran's military and derail any resumption of talks. Axios reported that several Iranian officials said Trump's real intention may be to restart the war.

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Park Su-rim, Hankyung.com reporter paksr365@hankyung.com