U.S. blockade announced
U.S. Central Command said it will begin a blockade of Iranian ports and restrict ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz after ceasefire talks failed, a move circulated in live coverage. The announcement came as oil prices moved above $100 and the White House warned of steep tariffs if countries were found arming Iran. (apnews.com) (indianexpress.com) (newsx.com)
The United States military said it will start blocking maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports on Monday after ceasefire talks with Iran ended without a deal. (apnews.com) President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States Navy would stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that carries a large share of the world’s seaborne oil. United States Central Command later narrowed that order, saying the blockade would apply to vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, not ships sailing between non-Iranian ports. (apnews.com) (usnews.com) Central Command said the operation would begin at 10 a.m. Eastern time on Monday, April 13, or 5:30 p.m. in Iran, and would be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations.” The talks that collapsed were held in Islamabad, Pakistan, where Vice President JD Vance left without an agreement. (usnews.com) (stripes.com) The Strait of Hormuz matters because it is the outlet for oil and gas shipped from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. CNBC reported that roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil moves through the chokepoint, and Reuters said the new blockade could cut off up to 2 million barrels a day of Iranian-linked flows. (cnbc.com) (usnews.com) Oil traders reacted immediately. Reuters reported that West Texas Intermediate rose 8.4% to $104.69 a barrel on Sunday, while Brent crude climbed back above $100 as markets priced in a longer disruption in Gulf shipping. (usnews.com) (thehindu.com) Trump tied the maritime move to a broader pressure campaign. On April 8, he said the United States would impose 50% tariffs on imports from any country found supplying military weapons to Iran, with no exemptions. (usnews.com) (cnbc.com) That tariff threat raised immediate questions about China, which has been one of Iran’s main economic partners and a major buyer of Iranian oil. Trump said he doubted China would ship weapons to Iran, but added that if the United States “catch[es] them doing that,” the 50% tariff would apply. (hindustantimes.com) (aljazeera.com) Iran has previously threatened shipping in the strait but has not fully shut it for a long period, in part because the route is also critical for its own exports and for neighboring Gulf states. The new United States order flips that pattern by putting the American military in the position of deciding which ships tied to Iran can move. (cnbc.com) (apnews.com) For now, Central Command says ships bound for non-Iranian ports can still pass through Hormuz, while traffic tied to Iranian ports faces interception starting Monday. The next test is whether shipping companies, insurers and oil buyers treat that narrower order as a limited blockade or the start of a wider closure in the Gulf. (usnews.com) (apnews.com)
