Iran-U.S. Tensions Escalate as 62 Merchant Ships Blocked, Nuclear Talks Stall on May 12

According to reports on May 12, Iran and the U.S. escalated military postures amid nuclear negotiations, with the U.S. imposing new sanctions and Iran deploying submarines in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 12 individuals and entities linked to Iran, while Trump administration officials convened to assess potential military action. Iran’s parliament speaker warned the armed forces are prepared to respond to any aggression, and the country deployed deep-diving submarines in the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz saw significant disruption, with 62 merchant vessels forced to turn back due to the blockade, according to U.S. Central Command. Negotiations remain deadlocked over uranium enrichment, with Iran rejecting Washington’s demand to transfer highly enriched uranium overseas and instead proposing to dilute it to 3.7% and 20% levels. Trump indicated willingness to resume military operations if needed, while stating he would negotiate until an agreement is reached.