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Hello, welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service.

We're coming to live from the studios of the BBC in London.

In the chair tonight, it's Sean Lay.

Although there is a ceasefire between Iran and the United

States, 2,000 commercial ships are stranded inside the Persian Gulf. Both the Iranians and the

Americans are now interdicting passage through the Strait of Hummus. There will be different

motives and targeting different ships. White House Press spokesperson Caroline Levitt made the U.S.

position clear a little earlier.

With respect to the blockade, as you know, it has been fully implemented, and it's being enforced

against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports. I want to make that point clear.

I've seen some misreporting on that as well. This includes all Iranian

ports on the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. And our U.S. forces in the region are supporting

the freedom of navigation for vessels that are transiting the strait to and from non-Iranian ports.

So I know some in the press were confused about that. We are supporting the freedom of navigation,

just not with respect to any

tanker or vessel that would benefit the economy of Iran as these negotiations continue.

Caroline Levitt, the United States wants no vessel to pass which may be involved in sanctions busting,

for example carrying Iranian oil. And Carolyn Levitt also told reporters that he didn't want any vessel passing through

that could benefit the Iranian economy, certainly, whilst negotiations to end the war are ongoing,

it's a valuable hand to play.

Iran, having effectively blockaded the strait during the war, now wants to start charging

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