Despite behind-the-scenes talks aimed at ending the conflict, the United States and Iran have failed to narrow their differences, and signs of strain have emerged in a truce that has held for nearly a month. With reports that a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was hit in an Iranian attack, President Donald Trump publicly urged South Korea to join the operation in the strait.
According to Britain’s The Guardian and other outlets, Trump said in a Fox News interview on the 4th (local time) that if Iran tried to target U.S. ships in connection with “Project Freedom,” an operation to help merchant vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz escape, “Iran’s military will disappear from the face of the Earth.”
Trump also called the U.S. maritime blockade of Iran “one of the greatest military operations ever carried out,” and said Iran had recently become far more flexible in negotiations. Looking ahead, he said there were two paths: reaching an agreement through “good-faith negotiations,” or resuming military operations, underscoring that both diplomatic and military options remain on the table.
The U.S. military said that day it intercepted Iranian cruise missiles, drones and attacks by armed small boats while supporting the passage of two U.S.-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, that “the U.S. military sank seven (Iranian) small boats.”
In his remarks, Trump directly mentioned South Korea. He said Iran had fired several times at “unrelated countries,” including a South Korean cargo ship, in connection with ship movements tied to Project Freedom, adding that “other than the South Korean ship,” no damage had been reported among vessels transiting the strait at this point. He added, “It seems like it’s time for South Korea to join this operation.” The comments appeared to refer to the HMM Namu, a vessel that was in the Strait of Hormuz when a fire broke out.
Trump reiterated a similar stance in an interview with ABC News. In a call transcript posted on X by Jonathan Karl, Trump said there had been “multiple shots fired” at a South Korean ship and that South Korea “needs to take action in some way.” He added that it was a South Korean ship “sailing alone” and “not an escorted vessel.”
South Korea’s government, however, has continued to take a cautious position on deploying forces to the Strait of Hormuz or joining a U.S.-led coalition. Iran’s Mehr News Agency said on April 29 that South Korea had been seeking a careful balance among U.S. pressure, energy security, humanitarian considerations and the need to keep communication channels with Tehran open.
Iran resumes attacks on UAE after one month
Iran carried out an attack on the United Arab Emirates for the first time since a ceasefire with the United States on April 8, heightening anxiety across the Middle East. The UAE Defense Ministry said it detected four cruise missiles launched from Iran, intercepted three over its territorial waters and said the remaining missile fell into the sea.
Fujairah’s media office said in a statement that civil defense teams were immediately deployed to extinguish a fire in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ). It said three Indian nationals suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital. The developments fueled speculation that Iran resumed attacks on the UAE in response to the U.S. launch of Project Freedom to help ships leave the Gulf waters where they were stuck. The UAE has recently moved closer to the United States after declaring it would leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC.
Bloomberg Economics analyst Beca Wasser said the situation showed the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was “highly fragile,” and that the most likely scenario ahead was a prolonged period of sustained tension and intermittent clashes.
In Iran, reports said hard-liners and moderates differ over how to respond to the United States. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is leading Iran’s negotiating team with Washington, appealed for both sides to halt armed confrontation. In a post on X, he said events in Hormuz “clearly show there is no military solution to a political crisis,” and warned that the United States should be careful not to be pulled back into a quagmire by “malicious forces,” adding that the UAE should do the same. He also criticized the United States, saying “Project Freedom is nothing but a ‘Project Stalemate.’”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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