Overview
- U.S. Central Command said a Navy helicopter from the destroyer USS Pinckney intercepted the merchant vessel M/V Sevan in the Arabian Sea and directed it to return to Iran under escort.
- The military described the move as part of sanctions enforcement under a blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, with 37 vessels redirected since the campaign began.
- The Treasury Department sanctioned Sevan along with 18 other ships for moving Iranian oil and gas products such as propane and butane to foreign buyers.
- Reporting says President Trump canceled a planned second round of talks with Tehran, signaling stalled diplomacy as the administration leans on economic and maritime pressure.
- Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped since late February strikes, and Brent crude prices spiked to nearly $120 a barrel in March, a strain felt by shippers and fuel buyers worldwide.