U.S. reaffirms grip on Hormuz blockade, turning away 55 ships as talks stall

TOPSHOT - This picture shows ships sailing near the Strait of Hormuz off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates at Khor Fakkan on July 13, 2026. Afp | Getty ImagesThe U.S. military redirected 20 more commercial vessels away from Iranian ports last week under its naval blockade, signaling no let-up in maritime pressure as a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz stayed out of reach.U.S. Central Command said American forces had redirected 55 commercial vessels as of Sunday, up from 35 as of Aug. 2. American forces have also disabled 2 ships and boarded 2 to endure compliance, according to the statement on Sunday. The escalating tally underscores how far the two sides remain from resolving a crisis that has choked the Strait of Hormuz for more than five months. The Strait of Hormuz carried about a quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade and a fifth of global liquefied natural gas before the war erupted in February. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday there was "no possibility of restarting negotiations" as long as the U.S. continues violating the June memorandum of understanding, without compensating for its "violations," according to Tasnim News Agency, a semi-o...