International Maritime Organization: Around 20,000 Seafarers Trapped in the Persian Gulf

April 18 — Maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers said in a social media post that two Indian vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz were forced back by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, with gunfire exchanged during the encounter. One of the vessels was a very large crude carrier (VLCC) flying the Indian flag. Iran has not yet commented on the incident.

April 18 — The head of Iran’s Airports Company Association said nationwide airline ticket sales will be suspended until carriers obtain the necessary permit from the Civil Aviation Organization (CAO). He added that under current circumstances, ticket sales are not permitted, and all airlines—domestic and international—must apply for a permit for each individual flight. Ticket issuance depends on CAO approval, he noted. Additionally, some websites showing available tickets cannot complete purchases, with users ultimately failing to finalize orders successfully. Separately, Iran’s CAO announced earlier on the 18th that partial Iranian airspace and multiple airports have reopened. (Source: FX Street)

April 18 — U.S. President Donald Trump delivered multiple key signals on the Middle East and broader issues over the past 24 hours: ### **Middle East Signals** - **Strait of Hormuz**: Navigation has resumed, but the maritime blockade of Iran will continue until an agreement is “100% complete.” - **Iran nuclear program**: Trump stated Iran has agreed to indefinitely suspend its nuclear activities; the U.S. will retrieve Iran’s enriched uranium and transport it back to the U.S., with no unfrozen funds to be provided. - **Negotiations/ceasefire**: Talks will continue through the weekend; war could restart if no deal is reached by next Wednesday. - **U.S.-Iran gaps**: Trump said Iran “needs to say different things internally” amid discrepancies between the two sides. - **Strait toll**: No toll will be imposed on the Strait of Hormuz. - **Regional security**: The U.S. has banned Israel from further bombing Lebanon; plans to address Hezbollah separately. ### **Political Signa

April 18 — Iran has rejected holding the next round of talks with the U.S., Tehran informed U.S. officials via Pakistan, Tasnim News Agency reported Wednesday. Per information from relevant Iranian departments, the U.S. maritime blockade on Iran and excessive demands during previous negotiations drove Tehran’s decision. Iran stressed avoiding excessive demands by Washington is a key condition for continuing talks, adding it “will not waste time on prolonged, meaningless discussions” without that. (IG)

On April 18, Binance rolled out an update to its wallet product, featuring several optimizations focused on boosting transaction efficiency and enhancing the asset management experience. Key changes include: - Users can now quickly purchase the corresponding token with one click after searching for its address - The asset page adds annualized yield displays for major coins, plus a direct link to the wealth management portal - The DeFi token details page supports staking and redemption operations, while showing protocol info and yields - A "Hotspot Radar" has been added to customizable columns for viewing market trends and signals This update underscores Binance’s ongoing push to strengthen the transaction workflow and integrate income tools into its wallet, improving user efficiency in on-chain asset management and DeFi engagement.

April 18 — Foreign media reports: California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, has become a key crypto critic on Capitol Hill, consistently pushing for stricter regulation to solidify her influence. Her opponent, nonprofit executive Myla Rahman, has drawn roughly 69% of campaign funds from the crypto industry, sparking concerns over "crypto capital’s political sway." Since entering the race in February, Rahman has raised about $14,500 total, with the largest single donation ($6,600) coming from Brad Garlinghouse. Executives at the Solana Policy Institute have also backed her campaign. As one of Congress’s most hardline Democrats on crypto oversight, Waters has long advocated for industry scrutiny. If Democrats win the midterms, she is set to chair the Financial Services Committee — a potential shift prompting the crypto sector to deploy political resources to shape future regulatory frameworks. The crypto industry is curr