President Trump has reacted to the failure of US-Iran peace talks by announcing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping channel.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” he said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday.
“At some point, we will reach an “ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT” basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, “There may be a mine out there somewhere,” that nobody knows about but them.
“I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.
“We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL! Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country.”
Trump said the US blockade would stop Iran from benefiting economically from tolls while the rest of the world suffered.
He said other nations would be involved in the blockade, without naming them.
Hormuz is a crucial waterway for global energy supply, and the disruption to shipping since war broke out on February 28 has led to surging oil and gas prices.
Vice President JD Vance led the US in marathon talks with an Iranian delegation meeting in Pakistan on Saturday but did not reach an agreement to ending the war with Tehran.
“We go back to the United States having not come to an agreement,” Vance said early on Sunday.
“We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on.”
Vance said the critical sticking point during negotiations was an “affirmative commitment” from Iran that it would not seek a nuclear weapon or procure materials necessary for a nuclear deterrent.
On April 7, President Trump announced a two-week conditional ceasefire aimed at halting the escalating fighting in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz while the parties seek a peace deal.
Days after the ceasefire announcement, traffic in the strait remained tightly controlled and yet to be restored to normal flow.
Correction, April 12, 2026: This story has been updated to correct the vice president’s name.
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