American military will pursue vessels around the world that are helping Iran, as it steps up ‘Economic Fury’

The U.S. military is preparing in coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, according to U.S. officials, expanding its naval crackdown beyond the Middle East, ‘The Wall Street Journal’ writes.

The planning comes as the Iranian military continues to tighten its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, attacking several commercial vessels on Saturday as it declared the waterway was being “strictly controlled” by Iran. The developments sent shipping companies scrambling.

The Trump administration’s decision to step up the economic pressure on Tehran is intended to force the regime to re-open the strait and make concessions on its nuclear program, which has been the focus of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.

President Trump said Friday that Iran has already agreed to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the U.S., though Iran has rejected that claim. Also at stake is how long Iran might agree to forgo enriching uranium and whether Tehran would receive billions of dollars in frozen funds from foreign countries as part of a deal. 

A new phase of the U.S. pressure campaign against Tehran

The U.S. has already turned back 23 ships that have sought to leave Iranian ports as part of a naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to U.S. Central Command. The broadening of the campaign will enable the U.S. to take control of Iran-linked vessels around the world, including ships carrying Iranian oil that are already sailing outside the Persian Gulf and those carrying arms that could support the Iranian regime.

The U.S. “will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday.

The move, which Caine said would be carried out in part by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, will implement a new phase of the U.S. pressure campaign against Tehran, which Trump administration officials have dubbed “Economic Fury.”

Most of Iran’s roughly 1.6 million barrels a day of crude exports are bound for China and bought up by small, independent “teapot” refineries. Though China spent months shoring up its supply to head off shocks from the conflict, Caine’s remark served as a warning to Beijing, one U.S. official said.

The push to step up the economic pressure comes as a temporary cease-fire between the two sides is set to expire next week. Talks held last weekend in Pakistan ended without a breakthrough, and another round of negotiations has yet to be set.

Both sides have been taking steps in case fighting resumes, though neither side appears eager to restart the war.  Iran has retained thousands of medium-range and short-missiles and is retrieving the launchers from underground storage areas.

Hegesth stressed that striking Iran’s power plants was still an option

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that U.S. forces were “maximally postured” to resume military operations if talks fail. But Trump administration officials don’t appear eager to use ground troops, an option that could incur U.S. casualties and that is unpopular with most of the American public.

And while Hegesth stressed that striking Iran’s power plants was still an option, such a move would also entail substantial risk, as it could lead Tehran to retaliate against energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations allied with the U.S.

That has put a premium on economic leverage as the White House looks for a settlement and an off-ramp from the conflict.

Boarding oil tankers and seizing commercial ships in international waters – what is the name for these actions in international law?

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