Year: 2026

A helicopter transports US Marines from the amphibious assault vessel USS Tripoli in this screenshot extracted from a handout video issued on Monday. U.S. Central Command/X/Reuters

Tehran “will act accordingly” against US troops, state news stated on Monday, following the US military seizing an Iran-flagged vessel in the congested Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.

The Tasnim News Agency, associated with the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated that the IRGC was “ready to respond firmly to the invading American forces” in light of their “overt aggression.”

Nonetheless, Iranian forces “encountered specific restrictions” regarding the presence of family members of the crew on the ship, Tasnim reported.

“In light of the present situation, once the well-being of the families and crew of the vessel aimed at by the United States is guaranteed, the formidable armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will undertake the required measures against the terrorist US military,” the agency stated.

US naval forces seized an Iranian cargo vessel attempting to breach a US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, leading Tehran to withdraw from a second round of ceasefire discussions planned for this week and further escalating tensions between the conflicting parties.

This screenshot from a video published on April 19 depicts the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel M/V Touska alongside the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer USS Spruance in the northern Arabian Sea. CENTCOM/Press Release/Reuters

On Sunday, the US military opened fire on and captured the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel.the M/V Touska, which was attempting to evade a US blockade of Iranian ports, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

What will happen to the vessel now?

Naval specialists stated the Touska will be moved to a harbor or anchorage for examination.

After that is completed and its cargo identified, they mentioned it could ultimately be claimed by the US government as a “prize.”

“According to naval warfare laws, you are permitted to seize a ship in situations where it attempts to breach a blockade,” Jennifer Parker, a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute and ex-Royal Australian Navy officer, informed Xenix News.

MarineTraffic data indicates that the Touska had frequently traveled between the Chinese city of Zhuhai and several Iranian ports in recent years and has been under sanctions since 2018.

MarineTraffic reported that the Touska is “laden,” but did not detail the specifics of its cargo.

Parker stated that if Washington “decides to retain it long-term, it will have to undergo a prize court, which must be set up.”

“It can be regarded as a ‘spoils of war,’” similar to any adversary combatant or resources taken from an opponent during armed conflict, stated Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain and analyst based in Hawaii.

Regarding the destiny of Touska’s crew, it would be influenced by their nationalities, Parker stated.

“If the sailors were Indian or Filipino, I would assume the crew would simply be removed from the ship and sent back home.”

Parker stated that if the crew members are Iranian, they might be detained, and if there are members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on board, they could potentially be treated as prisoners of war.

She stated that if the Touska were transporting any weapons or munitions for Iran, the crew would probably be apprehended.

Xenix News has requested a statement from CENTCOM regarding the crew’s nationality and the ship’s condition.

Xenix News reporting contributed by Teele Rebane.

According to a Qatari analyst speaking to Xenix News, Iran is “quite probable” to participate in a second round of war discussions in Pakistan this week, even with the “unstable” circumstances in the Strait of Hormuz.

US representatives are anticipated to participate in the discussions in Pakistan today. Tehran has not officially stated it will dispatch representatives to the meetings, with certain state media suggesting the talks might be canceled, although Iranian sources informed Xenix News that a delegation is set to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday.

“I believe it’s quite probable that we could witness an Iranian delegation attending,” Rashid Al-Mohanadi, a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, informed Xenix News on Monday.

“Al-Mohanadi remarked that Iran’s strategic choices have significantly narrowed.” “Aside from war, negotiations are their only option.” I believe the Iranians are willing to negotiate, but they prefer to do so on terms that, evidently, they still find themselves at odds with the US over.

When questioned regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and if the US ought to have removed its naval blockade, Al-Mohanadi remarked that this might have been an effort at a “confidence-building measure” that ultimately did not succeed as intended.

“I believe their (Iran’s) expectation was that the US would lift the naval blockade, but that didn’t occur.” However, the probability of discussions is considerably elevated. They’re not guaranteed, as anything can occur, and the circumstances are quite unstable at this moment.

Regarding the Gulf: Qatari analyst Al-Mohanadi stated that the primary worry of the Gulf states is managing Iran as a military threat and tackling the dangers presented by its proxies.

“These matters need to be addressed during the discussions,” he stated.

Security officers are stationed at a security checkpoint on a road that is temporarily closed near the Serena Hotel in the Red Zone of Islamabad on Monday. Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images

Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, anxiously awaits confirmation on the continuation of a second round of US-Iran peace negotiations following the US capture of an Iranian-flagged vessel, which has led to an angry reaction from Tehran.

Within the city’s “Red Zone” – home to the nation’s parliament, Supreme Court, major government offices, and foreign embassies – the two primary hotels have emptied their rooms of guests in preparation for the delegations’ arrival.

The Serena, where initial – and unproductive – discussions occurred earlier this month, and the Marriott – which housed the Iranian delegation during those discussions – have been vacated.

Traffic is completely stopped on the main road entering the Red Zone following the city’s police announcement of alternative traffic arrangements “because of foreign delegations arriving in Islamabad.”

Residents of the city have been urged to take different paths.

All officials working in the Red Zone have been instructed to telecommute on April 20.

US President Donald Trump heads toward the White House after getting back to Washington, DC on Friday. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

President Donald Trump’s approval rating is at 37% as dissatisfaction grows over his management of the economy and the conflict with Iran, based on an NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll of US adults published this morning.

The Xenix News Poll of Polls aggregate, incorporating the latest survey, currently shows Trump’s approval rating at an average of 38%, consistent with figures from recent months.

In the NBC/SurveyMonkey poll, carried out from March 30 to April 13, Trump’s approval for managing inflation and living expenses is only 32%, a drop from approximately 40% a year prior, with around half of Americans now expressing strong disapproval of his efforts on the matter.

The survey reveals that 29% of Americans consider the economy their primary concern, surpassing the 24% who cite threats to democracy.

https://xenixnews.comAt the same time, about two-thirds of Americans are critical of Trump’s management of the conflict with Iran, with 54% expressing strong disapproval. The survey, conducted while Trump declared a brief ceasefire, did not reveal a notable change in public sentiment after the announcement. According to the pollsters, the backing from individuals who identify as supporters of the MAGA movement continues to be strong, with 87% expressing approval of Trump’s approach to the war.

A 61% majority of Americans believe the US should refrain from any additional military intervention in Iran, while 16% advocate for continuing with airstrikes only and 23% suggest the US should explore options that include deploying ground forces.

The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll took place online between March 30 and April 13, surveying 32,433 adults in the US, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percentage points.

Vice President JD Vance reaches Islamabad, Pakistan, for a meeting on April 11. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AP

Vice President JD Vance will participate in the upcoming Iran discussions in Pakistan alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House informed Xenix News.

This occurs even though President Donald Trump has stated that the vice president would not participate in the most recent discussions, explaining to MS Now that it was because of security issues. Trump’s remarks sparked uncertainty regarding which officials would attend the discussions in Islamabad, as the president stated that his “representatives” would arrive there tomorrow evening.

According to sources knowledgeable about Secret Service policy, the agency aims to keep Vance and the president from being in the same location simultaneously, not just during travel to the area due to the ongoing conflict and associated security threats, but also for domestic journeys.

Should Trump ultimately choose to visit Pakistan if a final agreement occurs, it’s probable that Vance would have to come back to the US beforehand.

The upcoming negotiations will take place over a week after Vance attended the initial round of discussions in Pakistan with Witkoff and Kushner. The negotiations concluded without an agreement to resolve the conflict.

In reaction to the mixed signals regarding the US delegation, a White House representative informed Xenix News: “situations evolved.”

US Vice President JD Vance and the speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Getty Images

We’ve been providing information that a second round of talks between the United States and Iran is anticipated to occur in Islamabad, Pakistan in the near future.

Here’s an overview of the delegations anticipated to be involved in the discussions representing each nation:

United States

JD Vance: The US vice president, previously skeptical about the Iran war, played a role in brokering the current two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, along with the recent truce between Israel and Lebanon, a senior administration official informed Xenix News. Last month, we noted that Iranian representatives chose to interact with Vance instead of other US officials.

Steve Witkoff: A prosperous real estate mogul, Witkoff has maintained a friendship with US President Donald Trump for many years. Together with Kushner, he assisted in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza and has also engaged in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

Jared Kushner: Kushner is the spouse of Trump’s daughter Ivanka. He acted as a primary negotiator for the Middle East during Trump’s initial term and established strong connections with regional leaders, informally advising administration officials on dealing with Arab leaders, Trump administration figures and sources close to Kushner informed Xenix News last year.

Iran

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: Ghalibaf, the head of the Iranian team in Pakistan, also serves as the speaker of Iran’s Parliament. A regime insider known for stifling opposition, Ghalibaf has become a crucial communicator with the Trump administration during the conflict.

Abbas Araghchi: As Iran’s foreign minister, Araghchi has been deeply involved in previous nuclear discussions with Western nations. Weeks prior to the US and Israel launching their assaults on Iran, Araghchi informed Xenix News that Tehran had “lost trust” in the US, yet he felt “confident” that Iran and the US could “reach an agreement” regarding Tehran’s nuclear program.

Ali Bagheri Kani: Kani is another crucial hardline negotiator who has played a significant role in past discussions with the US, particularly regarding nuclear negotiations.

Xenix News reports contributed by Lex Harvey, Kristen Holmes, Kylie Atwood, Stephen Collinson, Alayna Treene, and Frederik Pleitgen.

Officers maintain security at a checkpoint close to signage related to the US-Iran peace discussions in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11. Farooq Naeem/AFP/Getty Images

Over the past weekend, representatives from the US and Iran convened in Islamabad for an extensive 21 hours of discussions, but ultimately departed Pakistan without an agreement to resolve the conflict.

US Vice President JD Vance pointed out that Iran’s unwillingness to give up its nuclear program was the main obstacle, whereas Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the chief Iranian negotiator, stated that the US did not earn the trust of the Iranian team.

As a new series of discussions is expected to start in the next few days, here’s an in-depth look at the events of last weekend:

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Vance reached Islamabad and had individual meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before commencing the in-person discussions on Saturday afternoon.

A few hours into the discussions, specialists in economic, military, legal, and nuclear matters from both parties convened, according to Iran’s government.

In the early hours of Sunday morning local time, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency announced that the delegations had commenced a new phase of trilateral discussions, noting that considerable obstacles persisted.

Hours later, Vance conducted a news conference, during which he revealed that no agreement had been reached by the parties, despite what he described as “substantive discussions” and the US presenting its “final and best offer.”

In the meantime, Iran’s Tasnim attributed the failure to establish “a common framework and agreement” to “US overreach and ambitions.”

 Xenix News Laura Sharman, Lex Harvey, Betsy Klein, Sophia Saifi, Sophie Tanno, Issy Ronald, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Kevin Liptak, Tim Lister and Aida Karimi contributed to this reporting.

Tracking data indicates that no tankers have traversed the Strait of Hormuz today, marking Sunday as one of the most tranquil days in the waterway since the conflict started.

This comes after the announcement by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Saturday that the strait has been closed to traffic once more.

Earlier today, two sanctioned tankers transporting liquid petroleum gas were departing from the Persian Gulf when they were suddenly redirected by Iran’s military, as reported by the Iranian state-affiliated news outlet Tasnim.

Footage from the ship monitoring platform Marine Tracker displays numerous ships at anchor. These are shown by the tiny circles grouped on both sides of the strait. The other vessels navigated in circles to steer clear of the waterway.

A few small boats have been seen entering the channel, but they mostly include tugboats or vessels flying the Iranian flag.

President Donald Trump indicates that a US team is traveling to Pakistan for discussions with Iran, and the American group is being formed — however, there has been no official confirmation from Iran regarding the negotiations.

The state-linked Fars News Agency in Iran reported that a definitive decision regarding Iran’s participation in the second round of talks “has not been confirmed or dismissed.”

IRIB, the Iranian state-controlled broadcaster, additionally mentioned that Iranian officials have not yet confirmed Iran’s involvement in the discussions.

Fars cited “sources within Iran” as stating that the general perspective for discussions wasn’t “especially encouraging.” It mentioned that another source indicated “that while the US maritime blockade persists, Iran will not entertain a second meeting in Islamabad.”

Xenix News is unable to confirm the information shared by Fars; however, earlier Iranian sources informed us that an Iranian delegation is set to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday.

The semi-official news source Tasnim elaborated, stating on Sunday that “Iran does not have any plans at present to dispatch a negotiation team.”

Tasnim stated that discussions would not occur as long as the US maintains a maritime blockade on Iranian ports.