Iran turns to land borders, northern ports amid US blockade, minister says

Ten Indian sailors detained in Iran after their oil tanker was intercepted near Jask Port in July 2025 have been released, India’s shipping authorities said.

India's Directorate General of Shipping said the sailors, who were aboard the MV Harbour Phoenix, had been imprisoned in Iran after the vessel’s interception.

"The Directorate General of Shipping reiterates its unwavering commitment towards the welfare, safety, and protection of Indian seafarers worldwide. Necessary arrangements are being coordinated for the earliest return of the crew members to India," it added.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar discussed diplomatic efforts for peace in the Middle East with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, the country’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry said Guterres appreciated Islamabad’s engagement and contributions to international peace and security.

US President Donald Trump has been consistent in his objectives on Iran and is taking “concrete actions” to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

“It is President Trump who is taking concrete actions to keep the Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” he told Newsmax.

He said Trump had also strengthened US alliances and partnerships in the Persian Gulf and advanced regional peace through the Abraham Accords.

“It is President Trump's results that are speaking for itself, the consistency of his message and his mission to make America stronger, make sure American leadership is back and delivering results,” he added.

A political deputy commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said on Tuesday the United States is in a position of “begging” for an agreement with Iran because of the impact of regional developments and energy prices on Western economies, according to official media.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official Mohammad Akbarzadeh said the United States and Europe remain vulnerable to fuel price fluctuations and instability in the region, describing this as leverage for Iran.

"Iran’s missile capabilities and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz demonstrated the country’s deterrence power and Iranian armed forces were fully prepared to respond to any future attack," he said.

Akbarzadeh added the United States and Israel placed war as a “last option,” and said any military action against Iran would result in failure and humiliation for Washington.

Former US ambassador-at-large for counterterrorism Nathan Sales said on Tuesday Iran repeatedly violated a ceasefire and was “caught red-handed” while attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to remarks on Fox News.

"If there's anybody who knows something about violating the cease fire, it's the Iranian regime. They've been violating it since day one, and the reason the United States took strikes yesterday is because we caught the Iranians red-handed," Sales said. "They were trying to lay mines to block the Strait of Horbus, and they were threatening our forces. So, this was entirely in self-defense. If the Iranians are concerned about the fragility of the cease fire, they can take a good look in the mirror."