Iran Guards Captured an India-Bound Ship in Hormuz Using Fast Boats, Masks, and Rifles

Images of the Iranian navy intercepting and seizing two ships—the MSC Francesca and the India-bound Epaminondas—in the Strait of Hormuz were made public by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In the video, speedboats flying Iranian flags are seen approaching the ships, and then troops with firearms and face masks climb the ships.

According to reports, Epaminondas “ignored the warnings of the Iranian armed forces” before the Guards opened fire on it. A third ship, the MSC Francesca, was also targeted, and a second ship, Euphoria, was “fired upon” before coming to a stop.

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval force this morning identified and stopped in the Strait of Hormuz two violating ships,” the Guards said in a statement. It added that the MSC Francesca belonged to the “Zionist regime” and stated that Epaminondas was “tampering with navigation systems and jeopardising maritime security”.

The Guards warned against any action in defiance of the regulations imposed by the Islamic Republic in the Strait of Hormuz, “as well as activities contrary to the safe passage” through the waterway.

The IRGC Navy stated that “disrupting order and safety in the Strait of Hormuz is considered a red line for Iran”.

Only a few hours after US President Donald Trump declared an indefinite extension of a temporary ceasefire, this naval conflict emerged. Trump made a clear plea for a diplomatic breakthrough in an interview with CNBC, implying that Iran may achieve a rich future through a new deal.

Trump remarked, “Iran can get themselves on a very good footing if they make a deal”, noting the potential for a complete transformation of Tehran’s circumstances. Despite maintaining a naval blockade, Trump urged the Iranian government to adopt a pragmatic strategy, adding, “They have to use reason and they have to use common sense, and they can get themselves into a great position to make themselves into a great country.”

However, the gesture has been met with scepticism in Tehran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticised the United States for what he termed “hypocritical” and contradictory behaviour.

In a post on X, Pezeshkian wrote, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed and continues to welcome dialogue and agreement. Bad faith, siege, and threats are the main obstacles to genuine negotiation.”Trump sees a new round of negotiations as “possible” within a timeframe of 36 to 72 hours, according to the New York Post, but the future is still unclear. According to Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Tehran has not yet decided whether to take part in the next round of mediated talks.