Trump says US will blockade strait of Hormuz as Iran peace talks fail

Lead

President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States would impose a naval blockade on Iran, following the collapse of peace talks in Islamabad. The blockade came into effect on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Washington time (14:00 GMT), according to multiple reports. Trump, in a social media post, warned that Iranian military ships approaching the blockade zone would be "immediately ELIMINATED," and repeated his claim that Iran's navy had been "completely obliterated" — 158 ships — but acknowledged that a small number of "fast attack ships" remained, which he said the US did not consider much of a threat.

Coverage Comparison

Across the sources, the blockade is consistently described as a direct response to the failure of the Islamabad talks, which were brokered by Pakistan and represented the first face-to-face contact at a high level since 1979. Sources differ on the duration of the talks: some report 20 hours, others 21 hours. Some outlets note that Vice-President JD Vance led the US delegation, while others add that the team included Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Reports also conflict on what the blockade actually covers: US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it would be confined to vessels entering or departing Iranian ports, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the restrictions encompass the entirety of the Iranian coastline. Trump, however, has described it as a blockade of the strait itself, saying the US would interdict any vessel that had paid Iran tolls.

Key Claims

The blockade was announced on Sunday, effective Monday at 14:00 GMT, according to several sources. Trump's posts on Truth Social also threatened to continue clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz and said the US military was "locked and loaded" to resume attacks at an "appropriate moment." He accused Iran of running a "de facto toll booth" system, with some reports estimating that about 100 tankers had paid up to $2 million each for passage. Trump also threatened to bomb water treatment facilities, power plants, and bridges if Iran did not abandon its nuclear program, as reported by two outlets.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards responded by declaring that any warships enforcing the blockade would be considered in breach of the ceasefire, and that the strait remained under Iranian control. Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, called the blockade "piracy" and said the US had failed to win Tehran's trust. Ghalibaf also praised Pope Leo XIV for condemning the war.

Perspectives

• US officials and supporters: Senator Mark Warner questioned how a blockade would push Iranians to open the strait, while Republican Mike Turner defended the move and called on allies to participate. Trump said he was "very disappointed in NATO" and that "other nations are working" to prevent Iran from selling oil.

• Iranian perspective: Iran's armed forces condemned the blockade as unlawful and warned that targeting its ports could put all Gulf shipping at risk. Foreign Minister Araghchi called the blockade "maximalism" and accused the US of "shifting goalposts."

• International reactions: Saudi Arabia is pressing the US to end the blockade and return to negotiations, fearing a broader escalation including the Red Sea route. China condemned the blockade as "irresponsible and dangerous," with President Xi saying the world cannot allow the "law of the jungle." The UK, France, and Germany have expressed varying degrees of support for freedom of navigation, though the UK has said it will not participate in the blockade. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the ceasefire was still "holding" and that efforts to resolve the issues continue.

• Analysts: Former JCPOA negotiators Alan Eyre and Robert Malley told The Guardian that the war and Hormuz closure have given Iran new leverage, making its nuclear program "less crucial." The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is considering a limited military operation against Iran to gain leverage in future talks.

Context

The blockade comes amid a broader conflict that has lasted over two months. War death tolls, as cited in one report, are at least 3,000 in Iran, 2,020 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf states. Shipping traffic through Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of global oil and gas, has dropped from roughly 138 vessels per day to as few as two in recent days. Oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel, with US crude around $104 and Brent around $102, compared with about $70 before the war. Goldman Sachs has warned that Brent could average above $100 in 2026 if the strait remains closed another month.

Corrections and Updates

This article has been updated to clarify that the blockade was formally announced on Sunday and took effect on Monday. Earlier reports of the talks' duration varied between 20 and 21 hours; the precise figure remains uncertain.