Hassett says US blockade of Hormuz remains in place

A northbound bulk carrier was attacked by multiple small craft 11 nautical miles west of Sirik, Iran, on Sunday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.

The ship’s master reported all crew were safe and no environmental impact had been reported, UKMTO said.

UKMTO advised vessels to transit with caution and report suspicious activity while authorities investigate.

Three-quarters of US registered voters said the United States is winning the war with Iran, while 26% said Iran was winning, according to the Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll.

The survey was conducted online in the United States from April 23-26 among 2,745 registered voters.

On Iran’s nuclear program, 65% said Iran was rebuilding its nuclear capability after US airstrikes, while 35% said it had lost that capability.

On the blockade, 63% said the United States should continue blockading Iranian ships if Tehran refused to uphold its end of a ceasefire, while 37% said it should not.

A majority also backed key conditions for any future Iran deal, with 79% saying it was essential for Iran to stop supporting Hezbollah and Hamas, 78% saying Iran must stop producing proxies and 72% saying Iran must limit ballistic missile production.

Iran’s latest peace proposal submitted to the United States via Pakistan aims to turn the ceasefire into an end to the war within 30 days through a three-stage plan, Al Jazeera reported, citing sources.

The proposal includes a nonaggression pledge, including from Israel, to prevent a return to war and end fighting across the Middle East, the report said.

In the first phase, the Strait of Hormuz would gradually reopen and the US blockade on Iranian ports would be lifted, while Tehran would take charge of dealing with sea mines, according to Al Jazeera.

The second phase would allow Iran to resume enrichment after a time limit at 3.6% under a “zero-storage principle,” while rejecting the dismantling of nuclear infrastructure or destruction of Iranian facilities.

The plan also calls for the United States and Israel to refrain from attacking Iran and its allies in exchange for Iran refraining from launching strikes, and includes the gradual release of frozen funds as part of sanctions relief.

In the third phase, Tehran proposed strategic dialogue with Arab neighbors and a regional security system covering the Middle East, the report said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that the Trump administration’s Economic Fury campaign was tightening financial and naval pressure on Iran, targeting money flows to the IRGC and offshore assets.

“I can tell you that we are suffocating the regime, and they are not able to pay their soldiers,” Bessent said on Fox News.

“This is a real economic blockade, and it is in all parts of government, all hands on deck,” he added.

Bessent said the US Navy blockade meant “no ships are getting through.”

“We have upped the pressure on anyone trying to remit money into Iran to help the IRGC,” he said.

Bessent accused the IRGC of stealing from the Iranian people and said the US had tracked down offshore assets.

“We are going to preserve those assets for the Iranian people,” he said.

US Central Command said on Sunday that 49 commercial vessels had been redirected to comply with US blockade operations against Iran.

Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, visited the USS Milius on Saturday as the guided-missile destroyer patrolled regional waters in support of the blockade, CENTCOM said in a post on X.

“US forces remain fully committed to total enforcement,” CENTCOM said.