An attack on a ship Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz led the UN to suspend efforts to evacuate trapped mariners as the United States warned against Iran charging fees for passage through the vital waterway.The New York Times and other US media reported that Iran struck a container ship in the strait, and the Iranian agency that claims to regulate traffic there issued a warning after the incident.
"Any passage through routes outside the framework designated by PGSA will not be covered by safe passage guarantees," Persian Gulf Strait Authority said on X.
Iran imposed a blockade of the strait during the war, sparking a global economic shock, and has since said it plans to introduce what it terms maritime service fees.
These developments may complicate negotiations between the US and Iran, which are trying to forge a final agreement after signing a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict that started in late February.
Thursday's attack prompted Arsenio Dominguez, the secretary general of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a UN agency responsible for marine safety, to announce the suspension of efforts to evacuate the 600 ships and their crews that were trapped by the war.
