Iran ‘REJECTS second round of peace talks with the US’

Britons are set to face more travel disruptions after another major airline cancelled hundreds of flights amid the jet fuel crisis.

Aer Lingus has said it is slashing over 500 flights from its schedule in the coming weeks for ‘mandatory maintenance’ on aircraft.

However, the disruptions come against the backdrop of a growing crisis in the aviation industry over the cost and availability of jet fuel.

The airline is set to axe several scheduled transatlantic flights, including services to and from Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis-St Paul and Toronto, according to internal documents seen by the Irish Independent.

Iran will never cede the Strait of Hormuz, a key regime official has warned.

‘It’s our inalienable right,’ Ebrahim Azizi, a member of parliament and former commander in the IRGC warned.

He told the BBC. ‘Iran will decide the right of passage, including permissions for vessels to pass through the Strait.’

Azizi, who leads the Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy, added: ‘We are introducing a bill in parliament, based on article 110 of the constitution, which includes the environment, maritime safety and national security – and the armed forces will implement the law.;

Iran has warned it will ‘soon retaliate’ against the US after the seizure of one of the regime’s ships.

Iran accused the US of violating the ceasefire between the two countries by shooting at the Iranian-flagged Touska

It said the seizure of the vessel was a ‘maritime and armed robbery’.

Iranian forces attacked some US military ships with drones in response

It also claimed the ship was travelling from China to Iran.

American troops have blown a hole through an Iranian cargo ship after it attempted to pass through the US blockade of the country’s coastline, according to Donald Trump.

The US President touted the attack via Truth Social on Sunday ahead of planned peace talks between negotiators from the US and Iran in Pakistan on Monday.

He wrote: ‘Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them.

‘Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity.

‘We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!’

Iranian officials have claimed that Tehran has ‘no plans for now to participate’ in the next round of peace talks with the US, the country’s state TV news channel has reported.

The channel quotes officials who say that ‘continuation of the so-called naval blockade, violation of the ceasefire and threatening US rhetoric’ have stopped progress in negotiations.

Donald Trump originally said talks would continue in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, on Monday but Iran appears unlikely to join.

The US military issued ‘multiple warnings’ over a six hour period to the Iranian vessel it seized.

The Touska ship was intercepted by the USS Spruance, a guided missile destroyer, while sailing towards the Iranian pot of Bandar Abbas, US Central Command said.

It added: US forces operating in the Arabian Sea enforced naval blockade measures against an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, April 19.

‘Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the US blockade.

‘After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room. US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody.

American forces acted in a deliberate, professional, and proportional manner to ensure compliance. Since the blockade’s commencement, US forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port.’

An Iranian ship made its way through the Strait of Hormuz despite the US blockade on the waterway, according to Iranian state media.

The state affiliated Fars news agency said an Iranian-flagged oil tanker passed the blockade and successfully entered Iranian waters.

It contradicts Donald Trump’s claim that the US has taken custody of an Iranian vessel after it tried to get past the naval blockade.

A French shipping company has said one of its vessels faced gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday.

CMA CGM said a ship from its fleet was subject to ‘warning shots’ in the strait.

The ⁠ship’s crew is safe, the ‌company added.

The statement confirms comments made by Donald Trump on Truth Social earlier, in which he said ‘a French Ship’ was among the vessels fired at in the strait.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued the warning on Sunday, citing a ‘high level of activity by naval forces in the region.’

The agency cautioned that the current environment creates a severe ‘risk of attack or miscalculation’ for all commercial shipping.

The Iranian navy reimposed its restrictions on transit through the strait as the US military implemented a blockade on Iranian ports.

The UKMTO also cited multiple attacks on Saturday by Iranian forces on vessels passing through the strait.

Donald Trump has claimed the US has taken custody of an Iranian ship after it tried to get past the naval blockade.

He said the navy blew a hole in the ship’s engine room after the US-sanctioned vessel refused to stop at the US’ demand.

In a post on Truth Social, the US President wrote: ‘Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them.

‘The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop. The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.

‘Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’

Two TUI cruise ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

The travel operator said: ‘Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 have successfully passed the Strait of Hormuz.

TUI did not say when they navigated through but ships are now travelling to the Mediterranean

It added: ‘The passage took place based on the relevant coordination and approvals from the authorities, in a controlled manner and with careful consideration of the security situation.’