The United States is considering plans to board and seize oil tankers tied to Iran around the world, a move that would mark a significant escalation in its maritime strategy against Tehran as tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz.

The discussions come amid renewed instability in the key shipping corridor, where Iranian forces reportedly fired on multiple commercial vessels and declared the waterway under their “strict control,” raising alarm across global shipping markets.

The developments have rattled shipping companies, particularly after Iran’s foreign minister had just recently maintained that the strait remained open for commercial traffic—a position that President Donald Trump had publicly welcomed.

Behind the scenes, U.S. officials say the Pentagon is preparing options to intercept and take control of vessels linked to Iran, potentially extending operations far beyond the Middle East into global trade routes.

According to the report, the goal of the strategy is to intensify economic pressure on Tehran, with the hope of forcing Iran to reopen the strait and make concessions in nuclear negotiations.

Trump said Friday that Iran had agreed to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium — a claim Iranian officials quickly dismissed. Key disagreements remain over the duration of any halt to uranium enrichment and whether Iran would regain access to billions of dollars in frozen assets.

The U.S. has already blocked 23 ships from departing Iranian ports as part of an expanding naval blockade, US Central Command said in a post on X.

Expanding the effort globally would place Iran-linked tankers — including those suspected of transporting weapons or circumventing sanctions — directly in Washington’s crosshairs.

“The US will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said Thursday, warning that so-called “dark fleet” ships are also fair game.

The intensified campaign — referred to by Trump officials as “Economic Fury” — could involve U.S. forces operating well beyond the Persian Gulf.

The developments are unfolding as a fragile ceasefire approaches its expiration on Wednesday. Recent talks in Pakistan failed to produce a breakthrough, and no date has been set for another round of negotiations.

Even so, both sides appear to be preparing for multiple scenarios.

Iran is believed to still possess thousands of short- and medium-range missiles and has begun moving launch systems out of underground storage, though heavy U.S. strikes have significantly weakened its ability to quickly rebuild, according to U.S. officials.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. forces are “maximally postured” in the event that hostilities resume, though officials remain cautious about deploying ground troops.

For now, the administration appears focused on applying economic pressure.

Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil per day — much of it to China through smaller independent refineries — making its shipping network a key target.

The Treasury Department has already imposed new sanctions on vessels, companies, and individuals connected to Iran’s shadow oil trade, while U.S. prosecutors are preparing to pursue cases against those involved in buying or selling sanctioned crude.

U.S. officials have previously demonstrated the ability to track and seize vessels tied to sanctioned regimes — including operations against ships linked to Venezuela — and now appear ready to apply the same approach to Iran.