The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalated again on Saturday as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States pressed ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran’s joint military command said, “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces.” It warned it would continue to block transits while the U.S. blockade remained in effect.

Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker, and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some containers, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. India’s foreign ministry said it summoned Iran’s ambassador over the “serious incident” of firing on two India-flagged merchant ships, especially after Iran earlier let several India-bound ships through.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Motzei Shabbos that President Trump held an urgent security consultation with his top aides over the Strait’s closure and the stalemate in negotiations with Iran.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told Reuters on Saturday that there is currently no date for another round of talks with the United States, and that a framework of understandings must be reached before any new meeting, linking the maritime crisis to the diplomatic stalemate.

Meanwhile, Axios reported that the White House sees the Iranian move as a clear attempt to pressure Trump, three days before the end of the ceasefire. According to the report, Trump said that Iran is “trying to be clever,” but added that contacts are still ongoing. However, as of now, there is no date for another round of US-Iran negotiations.

On Friday, Iran announced the strait’s reopening to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. The reopening caused oil prices to fall.

Trump, however, said the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Trump had imposed the blockade after a round of historic face-to-face talks in Pakistan between the countries ended without an agreement.

U.S. forces have sent 23 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, U.S. Central Command said Saturday.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent “any conditional and limited reopening” of the strait. The council has recently acted as Iran’s de facto top decision-making body.

Since most supplies to U.S. military bases in the Gulf region come through the strait, “Iran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends,” the council said. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates.

The renewed standoff over the strait came hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country was working to “bridge” differences between the U.S. and Iran. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of negotiations early next week.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said “new proposals” from the U.S. had been put forward during a visit to Iran by Pakistan’s army chief and were being reviewed.

But Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told The Associated Press that the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks because the Americans “have not abandoned their maximalist position.”

He also said Iran will not hand over its stock of 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium to the United States, calling the idea “a nonstarter.” Khatibzadeh did not address other proposals for the enriched uranium, saying only that “we are ready to address any concerns.”

Trump said Saturday that Iran “got a little cute” but that “very good” conversations were happening, and more information would come by day’s end. “They can’t blackmail us,” he added.

On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and “get all the nuclear dust,” referring to the enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem & AP)

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)