U.S. orders Hormuz blockade, warns China on tariffs

President Donald Trump said the United States Navy would begin blocking ships tied to Iranian ports at the Strait of Hormuz, widening the Iran war into global trade and energy markets. (apnews.com) Trump announced the move on Sunday, April 12, after talks with Iran in Islamabad collapsed, and United States Central Command said the blockade would begin on Monday, April 13. (politico.com, usatoday.com) He also renewed a threat to impose a 50 percent tariff on goods from any country that supplies weapons to Iran, and on Sunday singled out China after reports that Beijing could send air-defense systems. (cnbc.com, reuters.com) The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that carries about 20 million barrels a day of crude oil and fuel, or about one-fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption. Few alternative routes exist if traffic is disrupted. (eia.gov, iea.org) That is why markets moved fast. Reuters reported Brent crude rose to $102.31 a barrel in Asian trading on Monday, while regional stocks weakened as investors priced in a new supply shock. (newsbreak.com, msn.com) China matters here for two reasons: it is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, and it is already in a fragile trade relationship with Washington after last year's tariff fight. Reuters reporting cited Kpler data showing Chinese refiners bought about 1.38 million barrels a day of Iranian crude in 2025, more than 80 percent of Iran's seaborne exports. (wionews.com, piie.com) The blockade order followed weeks of fighting and a failed ceasefire effort. Vice President JD Vance said on April 13 that face-to-face talks with Iranian and Pakistani negotiators had ended without an agreement. (cbsnews.com) Trump has described the operation as a way to stop Iran from collecting revenue and controlling passage through the strait, while the Pentagon has said traffic to non-Iranian ports would not be impeded. How ships will be screened in practice is still unclear. (cnbc.com, bbc.com, icis.com) Iran rejected the move on Monday. State media quoted Iran's navy chief calling the blockade threat "ridiculous," while Tehran also warned it could target ports across the Gulf if pressure continues. (economictimes.indiatimes.com, apnews.com) The next test is whether the United States can enforce a narrow blockade without pulling more countries into the conflict or driving oil even higher. For now, the waterway that moves roughly one in five barrels of the world's petroleum is back at the center of the war. (nytimes.com, eia.gov)