Iran reiterates core positions, US vows no let-up in blockage

Iran's supreme leader demanded war reparations from the United States and Israel on Monday and vowed to escalate the country's management of the Strait of Hormuz, while President Donald Trump said he would not lift the U.S. blockade on Hormuz until Tehran agrees to a deal.

In a statement posted on his official social media account on Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said that Iran would hold accountable those responsible for attacks against the country and seek compensation for wartime losses.

He also called for a new phase in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, vowing never to abandon Iran's legitimate rights and regarding all "resistance fronts" in the region as a unified whole.

On April 9, the Iranian supreme leader outlined the three principles in a written address marking 40 days since the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Also on Monday, President Trump said in his social media post that the United States will not lift its blockade on Iranian ports until a deal is reached.

The U.S. forces have enforced a naval blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports since April 13, with the U.S. Central Command said one day later that Iran's maritime trade had been completely cut off.

Iran responded by opening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on April 17, but reversed course on the following day, resuming control of passage after the United States refused to lift its blockade.

Pakistan is now actively mediating in an effort to persuade the United States to end the blockade, a move seen as essential for Iran's participation in negotiations, a senior Iranian official said on Monday.

Iran reiterates core positions, US vows no let-up in blockage

A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said on Monday that the situation in waters near the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile, urging vessels in the area to take maximum caution.

"The situation continues to be volatile. Ships should take maximum caution and not take risks without security guarantees," the spokesperson said in a statement.

According to the information released on the IMO website, as of April 19, a total of 24 attacks on ships in the affected waters had been confirmed, resulting in the deaths of 10 seafarers.

The IMO, the United Nations specialized agency responsible for maritime safety and security, as well as the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships, has called for de-escalation, dialogue, and multilateral cooperation regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that with the U.S. repeatedly violating ceasefire deals and posing threats to Iran’s ports and vessels, a unilateral return to normal shipping remains out of reach.

Also on Monday, the U.S. Central Command claimed in a social media post that the U.S. forces have directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports since its blockade on navigation through the Strait starting April 13.

However, according to a report released from Lloyd's List on Monday, at least 26 vessels involved in Iranian shipping had managed to break through the U.S. blockade.

IMO urges ships near Strait of Hormuz to be on maximum alert