Iranian state television broadcast on Friday (April 24) two seized container ships anchored near the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran demonstrated its grip over one of the world's most important shipping corridors.

The IRIB report showed MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, two vessels the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it seized on Wednesday (April 22) for attempting to enter the strait without authorisation.

The footage also showed Iranian armed speedboats.

The IRGC said the strait was under "continuous and intelligent monitoring" and that no vessel could pass without its permission. The IRIB reporter said many ships from around the world were waiting at the entrance to the Persian Gulf for IRGC Navy instructions, and described the seizure as the first time in Iran's contemporary history that full control of the strait was in the hands of its armed forces.

On Thursday (April 23) U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the threat from Iran's vessels and said he had ordered the Navy to "shoot and kill" Iranian boats laying mines in the strait. Trump said he believed Tehran wanted a deal but that its leadership was in turmoil, adding that if Iran did not want one, he would "finish it up militarily."

The war, launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, has been paused since a ceasefire on April 8. The two sides met in Pakistan on April 11 and 12 but failed to reach an agreement. Tehran said it would not consider opening the strait until the U.S. lifted its blockade of Iranian shipping, which Washington imposed during the ceasefire.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Iran state TV broadcasts video showing seized tankers near Hormuz

VIDEO SHOWS: IRANIAN STATE TV SHOWING SEIZED CONTAINER SHIPS AT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ / SPEEDBOATS PASSING BY

Verified by:

-Vessel identities verified by comparison to file imagery

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: AT SEA (RELEASED APRIL 24, 2026) (IRIB - No use Iran, No use BBC Persian. No use VOA Persian. No use Manoto. No use Iran International. No use Radio Farda)

1. SEIZED CONTAINER SHIP MSC FRANCESCA AT SEA

2. VARIOUS OF CONTAINER SHIPS AT SEA

3. ARMED SPEEDBOAT PASSING BY

4. VARIOUS OF SPEEDBOATS APPROACHING

5. CREW ONBOARD

6. VARIOUS OF ANCHORED SHIPS SEEN IN DISTANCE

7. VARIOUS OF SEIZED CONTAINER SHIP MSC FRANCESCA

8. SEIZED CONTAINER SHIP EPAMINONDAS

9. MSC FRANCESCA CONTAINER SHIP