Senate Democrats to force new vote on War Powers resolution

At least 26 vessels linked to Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet” have bypassed the US naval blockade despite Washington’s claims that it has turned back shipping bound for the country, according to maritime intelligence reported by Lloyd’s List.

The report cited tracking data showing continued tanker movements tied to Iranian trade since the blockade began.

Among them were several oil and gas tankers carrying Iranian energy exports that departed the Gulf region despite the restrictions, Lloyd’s List reported.

Iran has long relied on a network of ageing or lightly regulated vessels, often operating with obscured ownership or tracking data, to move oil in defiance of Western sanctions.

The report suggests that even under heightened military pressure, elements of that shadow fleet continue to operate.

US Central Command has released images showing American forces patrolling near the Iranian-flagged vessel M/V Touska after Marines boarded and seized the ship.

In a post on X on Monday, CENTCOM said US forces searched the vessel’s container cargo after it attempted to violate the US naval blockade.

The photos shared with the post show US personnel and vessels operating around the ship during the operation on April 20.

CENTCOM said the vessel was intercepted and boarded by US Marines before its cargo was inspected at sea.

Iran’s lead negotiator and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran will not negotiate under threats and warned it has spent the past two weeks preparing new options on the battlefield.

“By imposing a blockade and violating the ceasefire, Trump wants to turn the negotiating table into a table of surrender or justify renewed warmongering," he posted on X.

"We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and over the past two weeks we have been preparing to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”

The office responsible for preserving and publishing the works of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei has urged authorities to coordinate with it before naming streets or public places after him or members of his family.

The statement came after Tehran’s city council approved a proposal to rename Azadi Street in honor of Khamenei.

In a message posted online, the office said any such naming should first be coordinated with it and warned against “hasty actions” in the process.

Wall Street pulled back from record highs on Monday while oil prices surged as rising tensions over the Strait of Hormuz raised concern that the fragile US-Iran ceasefire may not hold.

All three major US stock indexes lost ground, and the Nasdaq ended a 13-day winning streak, which is its longest since January 1992.

The equity losses were modest, however, as investors remained hopeful that a deal between Washington and Tehran could still emerge.

Ongoing optimism about solid first-quarter corporate earnings also helped limit the sell-off.