Washington/Dubai: Iran seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, tightening its grip on the strategic waterway after US President Donald Trump called off attacks indefinitely with no sign of peace talks restarting.Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said the Revolutionary Guards had seized two vessels for maritime violations and escorted them to Iranian shores. It was the first time Iran has seized ships since the war began at the end of February.The Revolutionary Guards also warned that any disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a “red line”, Tasnim said.Earlier, a British maritime security agency reported that three ships had come under fire.Trump said in a statement on social media late on Tuesday that the US had agreed to a request by Pakistani mediators “to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal … and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.” But even as he announced what appeared to be a unilateral ceasefire extension, Trump also said he would continue the US Navy’s blockade of Iran’s trade by sea. The US fired on and seized an Iranian cargo vessel on Saturday and boarded a huge Iranian oil tanker on Tuesday in the Indian Ocean. (Agencies)Iran fires on 3 ships in Strait of Hormuz, complicating efforts to resume US-Iran talksApril 22, 2026 10:25 pmIran fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, underscoring the ongoing threat to global energy supplies and complicating efforts to bring the United States and Iran together for talks to end the war. The attacks, which Iranian media said were carried out by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, came after President Donald Trump said the US would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran, due to expire on Wednesday. But Trump said the US would continue to blockade Iranian ports, and the attacks reinforced the dangers to traffic in the strait, through which 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas pass in peacetime. That means that even if the ceasefire largely holds — and Iran and the US do not resume major attacks — the war will continue to weigh heavily on the global economy.3,375 people killed in IranApril 22, 2026 1:03 pmDubai: Since the war started, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran, according to authorities. More than 2,290 people has been killed in Lebanon, 23 people have died in Israel and more than a dozen have died in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members throughout the region have been killed. APUK inflation rises to 3.3 per cent as Iran war impact begins to hitApril 22, 2026 11:23 amLondon: British consumer price inflation rose to an annual rate of 3.3 per cent in March from 3.0 per cent in February, according to official figures published on Wednesday which showed the first impact on prices from the war in the Middle East. Factory gate prices also rose sharply and by much more than expected, the figures from the Office for National Statistics showed. ReutersIran fires on container ship in Strait of HormuzApril 22, 2026 10:23 amDubai: Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard opened fire on Wednesday on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging the ship and further raising the stakes as planned ceasefire talks in Pakistan failed to materialise. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said the attack happened around 7.55 am in the strait and targeted a container ship. The UKMTO said a Guard gunboat did not hail the ship before firing. It said no one was hurt and there was no environmental impact from the attack. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the assault. It comes after the US seized an Iranian container ship after shooting it this past weekend and boarded an oil tanker associated with Iran’s oil trade in the Indian Ocean. APUN chief calls US announcement ‘important step toward de-escalation’April 22, 2026 10:23 amDubai: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the US announcement that it is extending the ceasefire will create “critical space for diplomacy and confidence-building between Iran and the United States,” according to his spokesperson. “We encourage all parties to build on this momentum, refrain from actions that could undermine the cease-fire, and engage constructively in negotiations to reach a sustainable and lasting resolution,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said late Tuesday. The secretary-general “fully supports” Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate US-Iran talks and hopes its efforts “will contribute to creating conditions conducive to a comprehensive and durable resolution to the conflict,” Dujarric said. APUAE thanks Trump for currency swap mentionApril 22, 2026 10:21 amDubai: The United Arab Emirates thanked Trump early Wednesday over his mention of a possible currency swap with their country as uncertainty remains over the Iran war. APTrump says Iran wants Hormuz open ‘to make $500 million’, claims total US blockade on shippingApril 22, 2026 8:28 amWashington: US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is privately pushing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to stem massive economic losses, despite Tehran’s public rhetoric suggesting a continued standoff. Taking to Truth Social, Trump said that Iran’s outward hostility regarding the waterway is a performance intended for a political audience rather than a reflection of its financial reality. “Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed; they want it open so they can make $500 million a day (which is, therefore, what they are losing if it is closed!),” Trump posted, suggesting the blockade is crippling the Iranian economy. He further dismissed Tehran’s threats to keep the passage shut, describing them as a defensive reaction to US military pressure. “They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to ‘save face,'” the President added. ANIPakistan PM thanks Trump for extending ceasefire with Iran, hopes for ‘comprehensive peace deal’April 22, 2026 7:55 amIslamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday thanked US President Donald Trump for extending the ceasefire with Iran, expressing hope that both sides would be able to “conclude a comprehensive peace deal” to end the conflict. PTITrump issues statementApril 22, 2026 7:47 amSTATEMENT BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP: pic.twitter.com/ATdRyY1qqK— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 21, 2026