6,000 Sailors Still Stranded in the Arabian Gulf as Iran-US Back to Attacking Each Other

JAKARTA - The head of the International Maritime Organization on Wednesday called for "maximum restraint and de-escalation" as nearly 6,000 sailors are still stranded in the Arabian Gulf, as the United States and Iran again attacked each other.

"These attacks further exacerbate the fear, uncertainty and psychological distress already experienced by the nearly 6,000 sailors still stranded on board" who cannot leave the Arabian Gulf safely, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.

Iran's military has attacked at least three vessels in recent days, triggering a massive US strike on Iranian targets on Tuesday, followed by Iranian retaliation against Gulf states.

"I condemn the attacks over the past two days on several ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz," Dominguez said, adding that "innocent sailors" were "in great danger."

He called on "all relevant countries to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate the situation without delay, and facilitate the safe departure of the ships still trapped in the Gulf since the crisis began."

"The safety of sailors must remain our top priority," he said.

US President Donald Trump earlier on Wednesday said the US-Iranian ceasefire was over, although he left the door open for further talks, after fighting sparked by Iran's attack on ships in the vital Strait of Hormuz.

The strategic shipping route remains a flashpoint in the conflict, which began in late February with a massive US-Israeli attack on Iran.

Tehran insists on controlling the waterway, saying it will charge for shipping and threatening to attack ships that deviate from the permitted route.