A blockade on Iranian ports is set to go into effect at 10 a.m. eastern Monday as President Donald Trump attempts to turn up the heat on the Iranian regime after the latest round of peace talks were unsuccessful.
The blockade will impact all maritime traffic entering and exiting ports in the Islamic Republic following Trump’s proclamation Sunday.
“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” according to U.S. Central Command. “CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”
The blockade comes after Vice President JD Vance met with Iranian and Pakistani officials in Pakistan for 21 hours of talks that didn’t yield a peace plan, including Trump’s top issue – no nuclear weapons.
On Sunday, the president posted to his Truth Social that the U.S. Navy would “begin the process of blockading any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” adding “at some point, we will reach an ‘all being allowed to go in, all being allowed to go out’ basis,” citing mines Iran claims to have planted within the international waterway.
Trump calls the threats of mines by Iran “world extortion,” underscoring the U.S. “will never be extorted.”
In his post, the president said he instructed the 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!” Trump added
The president told reporters Sunday night that the ceasefire with Iran, set to expire April 21, is “holding well” despite the weekend talks stalling without a deal. Trump has warned the U.S. is “’locked and loaded,’ and our military will finish up the little that is left of Iran.”
The president said Iran is “desperate,” but underscored the fact the Islamic Republic cannot have a nuclear weapon.
“I don’t care if they come back or not. If they don’t come back, I’m fine,” Trump told reporters.
