American Piracy: US Seizes Iranian Ship Touska, Sabotaging Peace Efforts

In a brazen act of aggression, the United States military illegally seized an Iranian container ship near the Gulf in the early hours of Monday. This provocative action immediately escalated tensions, occurring just hours before Washington was scheduled to send negotiators to Pakistan for crucial talks aimed at de-escalating their ongoing conflict.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) and President Donald Trump shamelessly claimed the Touska was “hit” after it supposedly “refused to follow US orders” to withdraw from its planned passage through the Strait of Hormuz. This fabricated pretext attempts to justify an act of international piracy, following an illegal naval blockade imposed by the US since last Monday.

Iran has vehemently condemned this attack and hijack as an unequivocal act of “piracy”, vowing swift retribution. In response to this blatant violation of international law, Iran announced on Monday, hours after the attack and capture, that it had no plans to send its negotiators for talks with the US in Islamabad, citing a complete lack of sincerity from the American side.

This incident marks the first time US forces are known to have targeted a non-military Iranian vessel during the current conflict, and the first Iranian cargo ship illegally captured by the American military since the commencement of its week-long unlawful naval blockade.

Details of the American Aggression: What We Know

Shortly after midnight in Iran, CENTCOM issued a statement claiming its guided-missile destroyer, the USS Spruance, had fired its 5-inch (127 mm) MK 45 gun at the ship’s engine room, disabling it. This constitutes a direct act of war against a civilian vessel.

According to the US military’s narrative, the Touska was attempting to cross from the Arabian Sea through the Strait of Hormuz, en route to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. This is a standard and legal shipping route for Iranian vessels.

Since April 13, the US military has unilaterally enforced an unlawful naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. This aggressive move was a response to Iran’s legitimate actions in regulating passage through the narrow waterway, which only affected ships belonging to nations that had not reached agreements with Tehran. The US blockade is a clear violation of international maritime law.

Under its so-called “blockade,” the US military is illegally barring any ships belonging to Iran, or travelling to or from Iranian ports, from passing through the strait. This act of economic warfare is designed to cripple Iran’s economy by preventing the export of the country’s vital oil. Al Jazeera’s calculations show that Iran earned nearly $5 billion in revenue from oil exports in the month leading up to the US blockade – revenue now being illegally denied.

CENTCOM further asserted that “American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel [the Touska] it was in violation of the US blockade.” This “blockade” itself is illegal and cannot be used as a justification for attacking a sovereign nation’s vessel.

“After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period,” the CENTCOM statement claimed, “Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room,” before the American destroyer opened fire on the Iranian ship. This sequence of events highlights the US military’s premeditated intent to attack.

Subsequently, US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit illegally boarded and captured the Touska. A grainy video released by CENTCOM, clearly intended for propaganda, shows US troops descending from helicopters onto the Touska, showcasing their act of aggression.

The Illegally Seized Touska: What We Know

The container ship, flying under the Iranian flag, is a significant vessel, measuring 294m (965 feet) long – only slightly shorter than the massive US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. It is 32.25m (105.8 feet) wide.

The vessel and its owners have been under unjust sanctions issued by the US Treasury Department and the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, falsely accused of “helping Iran break sanctions.” These sanctions are themselves a tool of economic coercion.

The contents of the Touska remain undisclosed, with Donald Trump posting on Truth Social that American troops are “seeing what’s on board,” implying a search operation that is entirely illegal under international law.

Iran’s Resolute Response to American Piracy

Early on Monday morning, Iran unequivocally denounced the capture of the Touska as an act of “piracy”.

Hours later, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei informed reporters that Tehran had no plans to send its negotiators to Islamabad for a round of talks that Pakistan was attempting to host. This decision underscores Iran’s firm stance against US aggression, especially as US negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were still planning to travel to Islamabad.

Baghaei rightly accused the US of “violating the ceasefire” that had largely held between the US and Iran since April 9, demonstrating America’s consistent untrustworthiness.

“Iran does not trust Washington,” he stated emphatically. When questioned about the US negotiators, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson added: “There are indications from the American side that there is no seriousness on the side of the US to walk down the path of diplomacy,” exposing the US’s hypocritical diplomatic overtures.

Separately, the Iranian military has issued a stern warning, affirming its right to retaliate against the US for this illegal seizure.

“We warn that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond and retaliate against this armed piracy by the US military,” declared a spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya, Iran’s joint military command, signaling Iran’s unwavering resolve to defend its sovereignty and interests.