US military says 31 vessels turned back in Iran port blockade, mostly oil tankers

The United States Navy has intercepted 31 commercial vessels near Iranian territorial waters, predominantly petroleum tankers, as part of an ongoing maritime enforcement operation. This escalation follows recent hostile actions by Iranian forces targeting merchant shipping routes. The Trump administration maintains its dual-track approach: extending diplomatic negotiations while reinforcing economic pressure through naval restrictions. Tehran has rejected these measures as violations of international maritime law, while Washington conditions any settlement on uranium proliferation compliance.