Iran claims seizure of 2 vessels in Hormuz, talks likely to resume Friday

U.S. President Donald Trump told a media outlet on Wednesday that it's "possible" fresh peace talks between the United States and Iran could take place as soon as Friday, reported Xinhua.

"Sources in Islamabad touted positive mediation efforts with Tehran, renewing the possibility of more peace talks within the next 36 to 72 hours," the New York Post reported.

Asked about this possible breakthrough by The Post, Trump said in a text message: "It's possible!"

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said Wednesday that Iran has yet to officially address ceasefire extension claims. "Iran has not issued any official statement confirming its agreement to extend the ceasefire, despite unverified reports circulating in some media outlets," it said on social media platform X.

Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday claimed that its naval forces seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging that the vessels violated its territorial waters and tried to exit the strategic waterway without authorisation from Tehran, reported ANI.

This comes just hours after US President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of a temporary ceasefire.

In a statement as reported by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the two ships -- identified as "MSC-FRANCESCA" and "EPAMINODES" -- were allegedly involved in violations while transiting the strategic waterway.

The IRGC, in its statement, stated that the vessels were attempting to exit the strait without authorisation, accusing them of repeated infractions, including tampering with navigational aid systems and endangering maritime security.

"In line with the intelligent control of the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy this morning identified two violating ships named 'MSC-FRANCESCA', belonging to the Zionist regime and the violating vessel 'EPAMINODES', which were attempting to secretly exit the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation by committing repeated violations and tampering with navigational aid systems and jeopardising maritime security," the statement read as quoted by IRIB.

The statement further claimed that the vessels were intercepted following intelligence monitoring by IRGC forces and subsequently escorted into Iranian territorial waters, and that the vessels have been transferred for inspection of their cargo and documentation.

The IRGC Navy further emphasised that it maintains "intelligent control" over the strait and reiterated that any actions deemed to violate Iran's maritime regulations or disrupt safe passage through the waterway would be closely monitored.

"The IRGC Navy reiterates that any action to disrupt the implementation of the Islamic Republic of Iran's announced rules for traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as any activity contrary to the safe passage of this strategic waterway, will be continuously monitored by the IRGC Navy, and violators will be dealt with decisively and legally," the statement added, as quoted by IRIB.

Earlier in the day, two incidents of ship attacks were reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), underscoring a sharp spike in maritime security threats in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters.

According to the UKMTO, one incident involved an outbound cargo vessel that was fired upon approximately 8 nautical miles off the coast of Iran, forcing the ship to halt. While the crew was reported safe and no damage was observed, the episode added to growing concerns over vessel safety in the region.

In a separate incident earlier, a container ship located northeast of Oman was approached by an armed boat linked to the IRGC, as per UKMTO, citing "the master of a container ship", who reportedly opened fire and caused significant damage to the vessel's bridge. Despite the severity of the attack, all crew members were confirmed safe, with no casualties or environmental damage reported.

The back-to-back incidents highlight escalating risks in one of the world's busiest shipping corridors, with authorities continuing to urge heightened vigilance for vessels transiting the waterway.

The maritime incidents come at a critical diplomatic juncture. On Tuesday, US President Trump used social media to announce an indefinite extension of the two-week ceasefire with Iran, citing a request from mediator Pakistan and the need for Iran's "fractured" leadership to submit a unified peace proposal.

The US has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports, a move Tehran officials have characterised as "no different from bombardment," leading to the current military response in the Strait.

Meanwhile, Trump said Wednesday there is "no time frame" for ending the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

There was "no time pressure" on the extended ceasefire or pending new peace talks, Trump told Fox News.

"People say I want to get it over because of the midterms, not true," Trump claimed. He had initially said the war would last four to six weeks after it began on Feb. 28.

On Tuesday, Trump said that he would extend the two-week ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday night to allow more time for Iran to come up with a unified proposal for further negotiations.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday that Trump has not set a deadline for receiving Iran's proposal. "Ultimately, the timeline would be dictated by the commander in chief," she said.

Trump may extend the ceasefire with Iran for three to five more days, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported Wednesday, citing three U.S. officials.

Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Ahmad Vahidi and his deputies had rejected much of what Iran's own negotiators had discussed during the first round of U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan earlier this month, according to the report.

U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan to leave office "immediately"

U.S. Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan is stepping down "effective immediately," chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on social media Wednesday.

Parnell, who is also the assistant to the Secretary of Defense for public affairs, said in a brief post on X that the secretary of the navy is leaving, without providing any explanation for the sudden departure.

Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao will take over in acting role, the spokesman said.

The announcement came as the U.S. Navy is carrying out a blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz during a ceasefire in the war with Iran.

The Secretary of the Navy is a civilian position that oversees the Department of the Navy and is responsible for policy, administration, budgeting, and overall readiness.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed multiple senior military officers across the department since assuming leadership at the Pentagon. In early April, he fired the U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and two other generals amid the Iran war.

It's unclear what led to Phelan's departure. Just a day ago, he addressed a major, annual maritime conference -- the Navy League's annual Sea Air Space conference -- just outside of Washington, DC.