United Nations, Apr 17: India termed the targeting of commercial shipping during the West Asia conflict as deplorable, strongly urging that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz be restored at the earliest.

“An aspect of particular concern for India for its energy and economic security relates to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said in the UN General Assembly on Thursday.

“India has deplored the fact that commercial shipping was made a target of military attacks in this conflict,” Parvathaneni said.

India reiterated that the targeting of commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding the freedom of navigation and commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable.

Underscoring that international law in this regard must be fully respected, Parvathaneni said India strongly urges that safe and unimpeded freedom of navigation and global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz be restored at the earliest.

He also voiced concern over the loss of the precious lives of Indian seafarers aboard ships during the course of the conflict.

Parvathaneni was delivering remarks at the United Nations General Assembly debate under the Veto Initiative on “The Situation in the Middle East”, a meeting that was held after Russia and China vetoed a Bahrain-led resolution in the UN Security Council earlier this month on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The veto by two permanent members of the 15-nation Security Council triggered the UNGA debate on the issue.

The Indian envoy said that since the outbreak of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region on February 28 this year, India had expressed deep concern and urged all states to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritise the safety of civilians.

“We have urged all states to promote dialogue and diplomacy and de-escalation of tensions, and to purposefully address underlying issues. We have also called for respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states,” he said.

Amid the West Asia conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs said last month that eight Indian nationals have lost their lives while one remained missing in “various incidents” in the region.

As the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil artery located between Oman and Iran connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, virtually closed due to the conflict, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had said that when this crucial chokepoint is “strangled, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable cannot breathe.

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned that the Strait of Hormuz, a central artery for global energy trade, has seen activity fall to a near halt. Ship transits dropped from around 130 per day in February to just six in March – a collapse of about 95%.

“The disruption is hitting a large share of global oil and gas supplies, with immediate consequences for production, trade and consumption worldwide. It is also spilling over into transport systems, including maritime routes, air cargo and port logistics,” UNCTAD has said.

The UN agency has warned that if the military escalation and disruptions persist, the suffering will extend far beyond the region, translating into widespread economic hardship.

Washington, Apr 17: The US military has widened its efforts beyond the blockade of Iran’s ports to allow its forces around the world to stop any ship tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government, from weapons to oil, metals and electronics.

Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, specifically pointed to operations in the Pacific, saying the US would be targeting vessels that left before the blockade began earlier this week outside the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for energy and other shipments.

US forces in other areas of responsibility “will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” he told reporters at the Pentagon.

The military also detailed an expansive lists of goods that it considers contraband, declaring that it will board, search and seize them from merchant vessels “regardless of location.” A notice published Thursday says any “goods that are destined for an enemy and that may be susceptible to use in armed conflict” are “subject to capture at any place beyond neutral territory.”

The expansion of US military efforts to target Iranian shipping is another pressure point for Tehran and comes as a ceasefire is set to expire in mere days. Mediators are pressing for an extension to a truce that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the US and Iran.

US military details items that could be seized from Iran-linked ships

The military’s new list of banned materials includes products such as weapons, ammunition and military equipment that are classified as “absolute contraband.” However, it also lists items such as oil, iron, steel, aluminum and other goods as “conditional contraband” that it argues can be used both for civilian and military purposes.

Otherwise innocuous items like electronics, power generation equipment or heavy machinery can be seized if “circumstances indicate intended military end-use,” the notice says.

More than 10,000 American troops are helping enforce the blockade on Iranian ports. While no ships have yet been boarded, defence leaders say the military is warning Iran-linked ships that it could fire warning shots or escalate to other force if they try to outrun the Navy.

In the first three days of the military action, 14 ships have turned around rather than confront the naval blockade, according to US Central Command, which oversees the Iran war.

Some Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels that left through the strait have appeared to halt their movements, turn off their radio transponders or head back toward Iran’s coast, shipping data firms say.

Ships near the blockade face US warnings

Vessels that approach the blockade, which is being enforced in Iran’s territorial seas and international waters and not in the Strait of Hormuz, get a warning, Caine said.

“Any ship that would cross the blockade would result in our sailors executing pre-planned tactics designed to bring the force to that ship. If need be, board the ship and take her over,” he said.

US Central Command has released a recording of a radio broadcast sent to vessels in the region that said the military was ready to use force if needed to compel compliance.

“Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian port,” the message said.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that “less than 10 per cent of America’s naval power” is being used to enforce the blockade. The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.

Also supporting the blockade are a series of aircraft as well as surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence operations designed to give the Navy the latest information on the vessels it is encountering.

The Navy is likely tracking ships linked to Iran through satellites, drones and other forms of surveillance as well as each commercial vessel’s past history, said Kevin Donegan, a retired vice admiral and former commander of the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain.

“It’s a pretty complex operation to make work,” said Donegan, who spoke Thursday during a webinar hosted by the Middle East Institute. “Not just from the intelligence standpoint, but positioning all the ships in the right way to make the intercepts if you have to.”

Donegan stressed that the blockade is only one pressure point on Iran and that it will not end the conflict on its own.

“For it to be most effective, this military tool is added to the other operational tasks that were being done and paired with. Hopefully, diplomacy,” Donegan said. “And if those two are scripted together in the right way, we can potentially get the outcomes we want.”

US Central Command chief appears at the Pentagon

As Hegseth and Caine discussed the blockade, Adm Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, made a rare appearance in the Pentagon briefing room.

He said that before the ceasefire took hold, American service members and troops from allied countries in the Persian Gulf had “fought together side by side.”

“In creating the largest air defense umbrella in the world across the Middle East, we embedded specially trained US military air defenders alongside our partner nation soldiers,” Cooper said, adding that Bahrain’s king and crown prince knew American soldiers by name.

The United States and Iran held productive talks through an intermediary, but key differences still persist. The two rivals have yet to reach an agreement on key contentious issues, particularly over Tehran’s nuclear programme and other strategic concerns.

However, both have reportedly reached an agreement in principle to extend the fragile ceasefire for a few more weeks, allowing additional time for diplomacy. foreign media reports stated. The ongoing mediation efforts are aimed at sustaining the truce and creating space for further negotiations toward a broader settlement.

Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Asif Munir, who reached Tehran last evening along with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, held a series of high-level meetings with Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi and other senior leaders to firm up the agenda for the second round of talk, Iranian media reports stated. Earlier, it was expected that the second round of talks would be held on the weekend in Islamabad. Even President Trump indicated about it and stated that there has been a broad understanding between the two sides on major issues

During these discussions, he expressed cautious optimism that both sides would adopt a more flexible and pragmatic approach to bridge their differences and move towards a lasting resolution of the contentious issues. According to reports, the Army Chief also met senior functionaries of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as influential clerics, seeking their backing for the proposed framework of negotiations. These engagements were aimed at ensuring internal consensus within Iran ahead of the next phase of dialogue.

The upcoming round of talks is widely seen as critical, as it could determine whether the diplomatic process gains momentum or slips back into stalemate. With regional tensions still high, there is a growing expectation that both sides will show greater willingness to compromise and avoid further escalation.

Meanwhile, the White House spokesperson stated that Islamabad is currently the only active mediator between the United States and Iran in the ongoing negotiations

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that despite interest from several countries, Washington has chosen to maintain a single, streamlined channel through Pakistan to avoid confusion and ensure continuity in dialogue. She noted that the next round of talks is “very likely” to be held again in Islamabad,

The White House has also described the ongoing discussions as “productive and ongoing,” indicating cautious optimism that Pakistan’s mediation could help narrow differences, particularly on contentious issues like Iran’s nuclear programme and regional security concerns. At the same time, officials acknowledge that the upcoming round of talks will be crucial.