Iran Warns Of War With US As Three Ships Hit Near Strait Of Hormuz

Iran must remain prepared for renewed war with the United States even as negotiations continue, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said on Wednesday, as two commercial vessels sank near the Strait of Hormuz amid reports of projectile attacks and another ship was damaged in the waterway.

The sinkings of the Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride and the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao, alongside damage to the Singapore-registered GFS Giselle, came amid a surge in attacks on commercial shipping. The incidents have heightened concerns over maritime security as Washington maintains pressure on Tehran and Iran seeks to tighten its control over passage through the strategic waterway.

The developments come more than seven months after US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, with the conflict raising concerns about maritime security and the prospects for a negotiated settlement.

Iran warns against relying on negotiations with US

Qalibaf said in a televised speech that Iran's main concern was preventing another American attack and that an agreement with Washington would not necessarily guarantee the country's security.

“They break their promises,” he said, according to the Associated Press. He argued that Iran must remain ready to fight “against a bullying enemy” and said, “we must truly fight courageously on the battlefield”.

“That is when we will have achieved sustainable deterrence,” Qalibaf said. “America must be punished. America must change its behavior. It must understand that it has to come to terms with the Iranian people.”

The remarks reflected Tehran's distrust of Washington as indirect negotiations continue. Qalibaf's position was that diplomacy alone could not ensure Iran's security, with the country needing to retain the capacity to resist another attack.

The AP reported that the comments came as Iran and the United States remained locked in a standoff over the terms of ending the conflict. Washington has maintained its naval blockade of Iranian ports as it seeks to increase economic pressure on Tehran, Reuters reported.

Two ships sink after separate projectile attacks

The GFS Pride sank after being struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing maritime security sources and Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority.

The authority said the vessel caught fire after sustaining damage. All 21 crew members were evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.

“GFS PRIDE sustained damage and a fire on board, and has since sunk. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated. No injuries have been reported,” the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a statement cited by Reuters.

The authority also condemned the continuing attacks on commercial shipping, describing them as “unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law”.

The Cape Dao, a dry bulk carrier registered in Antigua and Barbuda, sank close to the strait weeks after being struck by a projectile on September 23. Data from the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations shipping agency, showed that the vessel had sunk, Reuters reported. One crew member was killed in the earlier attack, while the remaining crew members were evacuated.

The two vessels were the second and third ships confirmed to have sunk since the war began on February 28, according to Reuters' analysis of maritime casualty data.

Separately, the GFS Giselle was struck by an unidentified projectile on Wednesday while transiting the strait. The vessel sustained hull damage but reached a safe anchorage under its own power. All 22 crew members were safe, and no injuries were reported, according to information released by Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority and carried by Reuters.

Iran also reported that a cargo ship had sunk after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz. The Revolutionary Guard Corps navy said the vessel had been travelling along what it described as an illegal and dangerous route.

The Associated Press reported that Iranian authorities provided few details about the ship, including its identity and the fate of its crew. It remained unclear whether the vessel described by Iran was the same ship that maritime authorities reported had sunk after being struck by a projectile.

Iran steps up pressure on commercial shipping

Iran has adopted new tactics to intensify attacks on vessels it considers to be violating its restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz, two senior Iranian officials told Reuters. The officials said the changes began around 10 days earlier, as attacks on shipping increased.

One Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was seeking to frustrate efforts by the United States and its allies to bring down global oil prices. The officials also described operations extending beyond the strait into the Gulf of Oman and waters near Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Reuters reported that attacks around the waterway had surged over the preceding 10 days, affecting tankers, container vessels and bulk carriers.

The Strait of Hormuz carried about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the war. Disruptions to shipping have raised concerns over energy supplies, transport costs and the security of commercial vessels.

With the US blockade and Iran's restrictions on passage still in place, the latest sinkings underscore the risks facing shipping operators and the uncertainty surrounding the resumption of normal maritime traffic.