Iran says to respond to "armed maritime piracy" by U.S. -- media

Xinhua
20 Apr 2026, 04:15 GMT+10

TEHRAN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top joint military command said on Monday that Iran will soon respond to "armed maritime piracy" by the U.S. military, according to media reports.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned Iran will "soon respond" to U.S. "armed maritime piracy" after American forces fired on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman, disabled its navigation system, and boarded it with armed commandos, according to Press TV.

In response, Iran carried out drone attacks on U.S. warships, causing the U.S. forces to retreat, according to state-run IRIB and the semi-official Mehr news agency.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday the United States forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to get around a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.

A U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman "stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room," and the U.S. Marines had custody of the vessel, he said.

Iran's official news agency IRNA said on Sunday that the country has rejected taking part in the second round of the peace talks with the United States, which were reportedly to be held in Pakistan soon.

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