The Trump administration diverts 35 ships and disables two vessels amid its blockade of Iranian ports

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced this Sunday that it has diverted 35 commercial vessels and disabled two other ships as part of the blockade that the U.S. Armed Forces are maintaining against Iranian ports. In a post on its X account, CENTCOM also released details about the operations of one of its aircraft carriers deployed in the region, noting that "A U.S. Marine Corps F-35C stealth fighter takes off from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) as the aircraft carrier transits the Arabian Sea and supports the U.S. blockade against Iran." Similarly, CENTCOM added that "As of August 2, CENTCOM had diverted 35 commercial vessels, disabled two, and boarded two others."

The statement came shortly after Reuters reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Oman over the future of the Strait of Hormuz had entered their final phase. The report, which cites the Iranian state news agency IRNA, notes that the announcement came after the United States postponed a planned military strike against Iran to allow more time for diplomatic efforts. Araghchi did not provide further details on the talks.

A day earlier, President Donald Trump called off the attacks after announcing that a preliminary agreement had been reached with the Ayatollahs' regime that includes "the TOTAL AND COMPLETE OPENING OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ and an end to Tehran's nuclear threat." Trump, who hours earlier had announced new airstrikes aimed at completely neutralizing Iran's military capabilities—fed up with Tehran's "lies" and its continued failure to honor the commitments set forth in the memorandum of understanding—stated that, following the ultimatum, "Iran and other Middle Eastern countries have just asked us to suspend any attack, as the general terms of an agreement have been agreed upon."