{"id":407960,"date":"2026-04-20T08:47:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T08:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/407960\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T08:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T08:47:10","slug":"iran-vows-it-will-retaliate-for-us-seizure-of-ship-tehran-has-no-plans-for-now-to-join-ceasefire-talks-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/407960\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran vows it will retaliate for US seizure of ship, Tehran has \u2018no plans for now\u2019 to join ceasefire talks \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Main Points Concerns are growing over the US<\/a> and Iran<\/a> ceasefire after a US naval destroyer seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship\u2018We have full custody of their ship, and are seeing what\u2019s on board!\u2019 US president Donald Trump<\/a> wrote on social media.Iran claimed the seizure has violated the ceasefire and vowed to retaliateIran has also re-imposed its de facto closure of \u200bthe Strait of Hormuz, although around 20 vessels passed through on Saturday, the highest since March 1stTrump said his representatives will be in Pakistan this evening for negotiations on a permanent ceasefire, 24 hours before the temporary two-week ceasefire ends \u00a0Iran\u2019s state media says Tehran has \u2018no plans for now\u2019 to join the talks The rising tension\u00a0saw oil prices jump in early trade on Monday to more than $95 a barrel, still lower than recent weeksBest Reads <\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 minute ago<\/p>\n

European shares slide again <\/p>\n

European shares declined on \u200cMonday, as hopes for peace in the Middle East ebbed with tensions reigniting after Washington seized \u200can Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade and Tehran vowed to retaliate.<\/p>\n

Investors have \u200bgrown increasingly jittery as the US-Iran ceasefire, set to expire Tuesday, appears fragile.<\/p>\n

Iran rejected fresh peace talks with the US just hours after US president Donald Trump said he \u200bwould dispatch envoys to Pakistan while threatening new strikes unless Tehran accepts his terms.<\/p>\n

The pan-European Stoxx \u2060600 index was down 0.8 per cent to 621.52 points.<\/p>\n

Major \u200cregional \u200cmarkets \u200balso fell, with France\u2019s Cac and Germany\u2019s Dax down 0.9 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively – Reuters <\/p>\n

Message from the Editor<\/p>\n

\"RuadhanIrish Times Editor Ruadh\u00e1n Mac Cormaic <\/p>\n

Thanks for reading. If you\u2019re interested in world news, The Irish Times has the largest network of foreign correspondents of any Irish news organisation. <\/p>\n

Our team provides sharp reporting, in-depth analysis and thought-provoking commentary. Receive our Global Briefing newsletter<\/a> in your inbox every morning to enjoy Denis Staunton\u2019s guide to understanding world events; what\u2019s happening, why it matters and how it affects you.<\/p>\n

At The Irish Times, our journalism is free of any personal, political or commercial control. Unlike most publishers, we have no shareholders to satisfy, no media baron owner in the background telling us what we can and cannot publish.<\/p>\n

We are owned by a Trust that mandates us to uphold a set of public-interest values. Those values describe a worldview that is outward-looking, tolerant, curious, interested in divergent views and attentive to the needs of minorities.<\/p>\n

Our watchwords are fairness and accuracy. Our goal is to enable you to make informed and independent judgments. And any profit we make goes towards supporting our journalism. <\/p>\n

Ruadh\u00e1n Mac Cormaic<\/p>\n

Editor <\/p>\n

To join Ireland\u2019s biggest community of news subscribers, sign up here<\/a><\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 52 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Iran seeks cuts from EU in aviation fuel costs <\/p>\n

Ireland is set to ask the European Commission<\/a> to take the unusual step of dropping a tariff on aviation fuel to lower fuel costs for airlines.<\/p>\n

It comes amid fears of flight cancellations this summer due to the global fuel crisis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Aer Lingus<\/a> announced on Sunday it planned to cancel or reschedule about 2 per cent of its flights, affecting thousands of passengers, as it carries out what it describes as \u201cmandatory maintenance\u201d on aircraft.<\/p>\n

Minister for Energy Darragh O\u2019Brien said on Sunday he would write to the EU energy commissioner asking for duties on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) imported from the United States to be removed on an exceptional basis while the conflict in the Middle East continues.<\/p>\n

Harry McGee reports<\/a><\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 56 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Unreported US military flights an \u2018oversight\u2019 says DFA<\/p>\n

Our lead story this morning concerns the 248 US military flights over Ireland than were disclosed by the Government. <\/p>\n

The figures show a 56 per cent surge in US military overflights of Ireland last month as the US launched hundreds of strikes on Iran<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Following queries from The Irish Times, the Department of Foreign Affairs<\/a> attributed the underreporting of overflights to an administrative error.<\/p>\n

Conor Gallagher and Rachel Lavin report. <\/a><\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 hour ago<\/p>\n

Oil price hikes could last six months, says French supermarket boss<\/p>\n

The \u200cglobal energy crisis caused by \u200cthe US-Israeli war with Iran could \u200blast until the winter, the head of French supermarket \u200bchain Leclerc said on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have \u2060up to six months \u200cat \u200cthe \u200bvery least, and perhaps going through \u2060to \u200bthe coming winter, \u200bof an energy \u200ccrisis,\u201d Michel-Edouard Leclerc, the \u200bcompany\u2019s executive chairman, told Europe \u20601 radio \u2060and \u200bCNews TV.<\/p>\n

Oil prices jumped back up on Monday, after the United States said it had \u200cseized an Iranian \u2060cargo ship that tried to run \u200cits blockade, while Iran said it \u200bwould retaliate.<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 hour ago<\/p>\n

Strait of Hormuz now effectively shut again<\/p>\n

Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is at a virtual standstill this morning.<\/p>\n

A brief and confused reopening over the weekend ended with the first US seizure of an Iranian vessel \u2014 underscoring just how difficult it will be to restore activity in the vital strait.<\/p>\n

Transits through the waterway have reduced to a trickle over seven weeks of war in the Persian Gulf, as Iran tightens control in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes. <\/p>\n

On Friday, that paralysis appeared to be at an end as Iran and the US announced a reopening, prompting oil to plunge and vessels to rush for the crossing \u2014 only for the situation to rapidly unravel.<\/p>\n

Yesterday the US navy seized an Iranian cargo ship in waters off the Iranian port of Jask in the Gulf of Oman as it headed toward Hormuz \u2014 the first such move during this US blockade \u2014 raising the stakes for shipowners operating across the region and widening the area seen to be risky for transits. <\/p>\n

Benchmark oil has jumped in response, as a historic supply crisis begins to look even more prolonged – Bloomberg<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Oil jumps again as Strait of Hormuz uncertainty returns<\/p>\n

Oil jumped and US equity-index futures retreated as traders turned cautious following a weekend flare-up in US-Iran tensions, curbing optimism that strains in the Middle East were easing.<\/p>\n

Brent rose 5.5 per cent to $95.33 a barrel after the US Navy seized an Iranian ship during a chaotic weekend that saw Tehran firing at vessels and reimposing controls in the Strait of Hormuz. <\/p>\n

S&P 500 futures fell 0.7 per cent after the underlying index closed at a record high on Friday following Iran\u2019s earlier declaration that the vital waterway was \u201ccompletely open.\u201d <\/p>\n

Contracts indicated European shares will decline 1.4 per cent. <\/p>\n

\"AA US Air Force Boeing C-17A McChord aircraft prepares to land at Pakistan’s Nur Khan military airbase in Rawalpindi. Iran is not currently planning to attend talks with the United States, state media said, after President Donald Trump ordered US negotiators to travel to Pakistan on April 20, just days before a ceasefire in the Middle East expires. <\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Ceasefire under pressure following US seizure of container ship<\/p>\n

Iran has launched drone strikes on US military vessels in the Gulf of Oman, the Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim reports. <\/p>\n

It follows the US navy seizure of an Iranian-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Iran\u2019s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters – the country\u2019s highest operational command unit coordinating the armed forces – described the US naval operation as a violation of the ceasefire. <\/p>\n

It said it would \u201cretaliate for this act of armed piracy by the US Navy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Iran to enshrine control of Strait of Hormuz into law, says official<\/p>\n

A former senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Iran will \u201cnever\u201d give up the Strait of Hormuz. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our inalienable right,\u201d Ebrahim Azizi, a former commander in Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), told the BBC. \u201cIran will decide the right of passage, including permissions for vessels to pass through the Strait.\u201d<\/p>\n

Azizi forecast Iran will introduce a bill in parliament enshrining Iran\u2019s control of the strait. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are introducing a bill in parliament, based on article 110 of the constitution, which includes the environment, maritime safety and national security – and the armed forces will implement the law,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Azizi heads up the Iranian parliament\u2019s Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy.<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 3 hours ago<\/p>\n

Israel threatens \u2018full force\u2019 against Hizbullah<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s defence minister, Israel Katz, said his military will use \u201cfull force\u201d in Lebanon \u2013 even during the ongoing ceasefire \u2013 should Israeli troops face any threat from Hizbullah. <\/p>\n

The \u200cIsraeli military has warned \u200cresidents in southern Lebanon \u200bnot to move south of a specified \u200bline of villages \u2060or approach areas near \u200cthe \u200cLitani River, \u200bsaying its forces \u2060remain \u200bdeployed in \u200bthe area during \u200ca ceasefire due to \u200bwhat it described \u2060as \u2060continued Hizbullah activity.<\/p>\n

In a statement, military spokesperson Avichay Adraee also urged civilians not to \u200creturn \u2060to multiple border villages until further notice, \u200cciting security risks.<\/p>\n

Lebanon\u2019s military said, meanwhile, it has reopened a road and bridge between the city of Nabatieh and Khardali that was damaged by Israeli strikes in the south. <\/p>\n

French president Emmanuel Macron will meet Lebanese prime minister Nawaf Salam in Paris on Tuesday, his office announced, a day after a French peacekeeper was killed in Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 3 hours ago<\/p>\n

Footage of US marines rappelling on to Iranian vessel released<\/p>\n

Video posted on social media by the US showed the interception of the M\/V Touska by US forces.<\/p>\n

The video includes audio of the container ship\u2019s crew being warned that they will be fired on if they refused to stop. \u201cVacate your engine room,\u201d a US sailor can be heard saying. \u201cWe\u2019re prepared to subject you to disabling fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

The video then shows the USS Spruance firing on the Touska.<\/p>\n

U.S. Marines depart amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) by helicopter and transit over the Arabian Sea to board and seize M\/V Touska. The Marines rappelled onto the Iranian-flagged vessel, April 19, after guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) disabled Touska\u2019s\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/mFxI5RzYCS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

In a later post on X, US Central Command said US marines had left the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli by helicopter and rappelled on to the Iranian-flagged vessel. <\/p>\n

It said the US had \u201cdisabled Touska\u2019s propulsion when the commercial ship failed to comply with repeated warnings\u201d over a six-hour period.<\/p>\n

Iran has since vowed to retaliate but has not acted yet. <\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 3 hours ago<\/p>\n

Oil prices surge amid uncertainty over strait and peace talks <\/p>\n

Oil prices surged on a re-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East war after Iran closed the strait of Hormuz at the weekend, just a day after reopening it.<\/p>\n

In early trading on Monday, the price of Brent crude climbed 5.8 per cent to $95.64 per barrel. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate increased 6.4 per cent to $87.90 per barrel. S+P 500 futures fell by 0.6 per cent while European futures fell 1.1 per cent. <\/p>\n

However, equity benchmarks in Seoul, Taipei and Tokyo shrugged off risks to advance, with Taiwan\u2019s shares touching a record high and the other two not far behind. Hong Kong\u2019s Hang Seng rose 0.8 per cent, Japan\u2019s Nikkei climbed 1 per cent and South Korea\u2019s Kopsi rose 1.4 per cent. <\/p>\n

Despite this, one of the strongest notes of caution in markets on Monday came from Australia\u2019s largest business lender, National Australia Bank, which flagged a $500m impairment charge as it expects the war to drive up bad debts.<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 3 hours ago<\/p>\n

Mideast ceasefire on edge as US seizes Iranian cargo ship\"'We‘We have full custody of their ship, and are seeing what\u2019s on board!’ US president Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson\/AP <\/p>\n

Concerns are growing that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran might not hold after the US said it \u200chad seized an Iranian<\/a> cargo ship that tried to run its blockade and Iran vowed to retaliate.<\/p>\n

Efforts to build a more lasting peace in the region likewise appeared to be on shaky ground, as Iran said \u200bit would not participate in a second round of negotiations that the US had hoped to kick off before the ceasefire expires on Tuesday.<\/a><\/p>\n

The US has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has lifted and then reimposed its own blockade on marine traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically handles roughly one-fifth of the world\u2019s oil supply.<\/p>\n

The US military said it fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, the M\/V Touska, as it sailed toward Iran\u2019s Bandar Abbas port. \u201cWe have full custody of their ship, and are seeing what\u2019s on board!\u201d US president Donald Trump <\/a>wrote on social media.<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s military said the ship had been travelling \u2060from China. <\/p>\n

Iranian state media reported that Tehran had rejected new peace talks, \u2060citing the ongoing blockade, threatening rhetoric, and Washington\u2019s shifting positions and \u201cexcessive demands.\u201d<\/p>\n