White House: Iran’s ship seizures do not breach truce (VIDEO)

(SeaPRwire) –   This statement comes after Tehran published video footage displaying its troops boarding two ships

The White House stated that Iran’s capture of two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz does not constitute a breach of the ceasefire, as the vessels were neither American nor Israeli. This announcement followed the release of operational footage by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Released on Wednesday, the video depicts IRGC troops intercepting and seizing two container ships operated by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company: the mid-sized Epaminondas and the larger MSC Francesca. Additionally, a third ship, the Euphoria, which was en route to Jeddah, was hit and rendered inoperable during the incident.

The incidents of seizure occurred between April 22 and 23 within the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway serves as a vital passage for international commerce and has become a major point of tension between Tehran and Washington ever since strikes by the US and Israel on Iran started in late February.

The footage released by the IRGC displays armed forces boarding the ships from speedboats and assuming command. According to media sources, the IRGC Navy claimed the ships were targeted due to suspected “maritime violations” and were subsequently guided into Iranian territorial waters.

Technomar, which manages the Liberian-flagged Epaminondas (destined for India), verified that the ship was “approached and fired upon by a manned gunboat” near the Omani coast. They noted that the bridge suffered “extremely wide damage.” However, the company confirmed that the 21 crew members, comprising Ukrainian and Filipino nationals, were unharmed.

Hours later, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, another cargo vessel, was attacked and compelled to halt, though there were no reports of damage or casualties. Panama denounced the incident as an “illegal seizure,” labeling it a significant danger to the safety of maritime navigation.

Although many view the event as a response to American pressure and the blockade of Iranian ports, Washington asserted that the capturing of the ships did not violate the ceasefire agreement.

“These were not US or Israeli ships, these were two international vessels,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated during an interview with Fox News. She further noted that the US-led naval blockade “continues to be incredibly effective.”

Prior to the ceasefire discussions set to occur in Pakistan, the United States had captured two Iranian ships.

The ongoing confrontation between the US and Iran has essentially halted the majority of shipping through the strait, a corridor responsible for transporting roughly 20% of the globe’s traded energy, and there is no apparent resolution in the near future.

This conflict has escalated global prices for energy and food, with Brent crude oil surpassing $100 per barrel—an increase of approximately 35% compared to levels before the conflict—thereby intensifying inflationary trends across the world.