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Washington/Tehran, April 14: US Vice President JD Vance has accused Iran of engaging in “economic terrorism” by effectively restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz, while defending Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports as a proportionate response and asserting “two can play at that game.”
At least two US-sanctioned vessels have transited the strait since the blockade began, underscoring continued maritime movement despite heightened tensions.
There are reports that US officials remain in contact with Tehran following the collapse of recent peace talks in Pakistan. Discussions are underway for a possible second in-person meeting.
“We’ve made clear that we absolutely need to see the nuclear material come out of Iran…the ball is in their court because we’ve put a lot on the table,” Vance said.
He described the recent high-level engagement between the two sides in Islamabad as significant, noting that it may have been the first such interaction under Iran’s current leadership. “That’s a positive, and we did make some progress in the negotiations,” he added.
Reiterating Washington’s core position, Vance said, “The President has been clear: Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. All of our red lines flow from that fundamental premise.”
“I 100% agree with the President that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. If they are willing to engage in economic terrorism against the world, what leverage would they have if they possessed a nuclear bomb?” he said.
Meanwhile, shipping activity in the region continues. A third Iran-linked tanker, the Panama-flagged Peace Gulf, entered the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz and is heading toward Hamriyah port in the UAE, according to LSEG shipping data. Two other sanctioned vessels had earlier transited the route.
None of the three ships is bound for Iranian ports and is therefore unaffected by the US blockade.
The handy tanker Murlikishan is scheduled to load fuel oil in Iraq on April 16, as per Al Jazeera reports, while the sanctioned tanker Rich Starry is expected to become the first vessel to exit the Gulf through the strait since the blockade came into force.
