West Asia conflict highlights: US warship intercepts Iranian tanker amid blockade; Trump says he's considering Iran's proposal

The US Central Command CENTCOM has announced that the guidedmissile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta intercepted the MT Stream on Sunday preventing the vessel from reaching its intended destinationThe American warship stopped the tanker after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port according to a statement released by CENTCOMIn a social media post featuring imagery of both vessels officials clarified that the intervention was carried out as part of the ongoing US blockade of Iranian portsGuidedmissile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta DDG 115 enforces the US blockade of Iranian ports against MT Stream after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port April 26 pictwittercommPCIp5rLlOmdash US Central Command CENTCOM April 28 2026The MT Stream is identified as a crude oil tanker operating under the Iranian flag and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic as reported by Al Jazeera indicated that the vessel was last tracked in Southeast Asias Malacca Strait approximately 13 days agoThis latest incident has further escalated maritime tensions between Washington and TehranIrans Foreign Ministry had previously lashed out at the United States accusing the Biden administration of piracy and armed robbery on the high seas following the earlier seizure of two other Iranlinked tankers the Majestic X and the TifaniThe interception of the MT Stream comes as American forces maintain a strict maritime restrictive operation in the region According to official statements released yesterday these forces are actively preventing ships from entering or exiting Iranian waters as part of a sustained effort to monitor and control movement into strategic coastal hubsThe military is closely monitoring maritime traffic to ensure compliance with the ongoing restrictionsHighlighting the scale of this operation a post on X confirmed that American forces have directed 38 ships to turn around or return to port since the enforcement beganUS says examining latest Iran proposalThe White House said on Monday that it was examining Irans latest proposal to unblock the Strait of Hormuz two months after a US and Israeli offensive sent shockwaves through the global economyPeace talks between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war and fully reopen the vital strait have so far proven inconclusive since a ceasefire came into forceTrump met with top security advisors on Monday to discuss an Iranian proposal after Tehran passed written messages to Washington via Pakistan spelling out its red lines in negotiations including on nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz the Fars news agency reportedThe proposal was being discussed spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told a White House briefingAsked about the terms of Irans proposal Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News its better than what we thought they were going to submit but questioned whether it was genuineWe have to ensure that any deal that is made any agreement that is made is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point he saidCrude extends gains as Trump considers latest Iran proposalOil prices edged up and stocks wavered Tuesday as Donald Trump weighed an Iranian proposal that would reportedly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the eightweekold war Tehran was reported to have passed written messages to Washington via Pakistan spelling out its red lines in peace talks including on its nuclear programme and the future of the crucial waterwayIrans proposed interim deal is said to see it reopen the Strait of Hormuz mdashthrough which a fifth of oil and LNG usually flows mdash in exchange for Washington ending its blockade of Iranian ports The plan also postpones more complex negotiations over its nuclear programme a major sticking point for TrumpWith AFP and ANI inputs