The United States Navy launched a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, April 13, after weekend peace talks in Islamabad ended without an agreement, dramatically escalating an ongoing military conflict between Washington and Tehran. US Central Command announced the blockade would take effect at 1400 GMT, applying to all ships seeking to enter or leave Iranian ports on both the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman sides of the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas exports normally pass. President Donald Trump, dismissing the prospect of further diplomacy, told reporters:
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Monday, 13 April 2026
US blockade of Iran's ports begins as nuclear talks collapse[Updated]
Monday, 13 April 2026 · 1 min read
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed Monday that the United Kingdom will not join the US blockade, saying Britain is 'not getting dragged in' to the conflict, while adding that Royal Navy minesweepers already in the region are focused on eventually reopening the strait to navigation. France, Spain, Turkey, and China also condemned the move, while oil prices surged above $100 a barrel — with Brent crude jumping more than 6 percent to $101.52 and US West Texas Intermediate rising to $103.16 — and European equity markets opened sharply lower. Iran's Armed Forces called the interdiction of vessels in international waters illegal, saying it 'amounts to piracy,' and vowed to implement a 'permanent mechanism' to control the Strait of Hormuz. Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope, declined to engage with a lengthy social media attack from Trump, telling reporters aboard the papal plane to Algeria simply: 'I am not a politician. I have no intention to debate with him.'
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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps warned Monday that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz would be considered a ceasefire violation and would be 'dealt with harshly and decisively,' going further than the Iranian army's earlier statement threatening that no port in the Persian Gulf or Arabian Sea would be safe if Iran's own ports were threatened. Markets beyond Europe also took a sharp hit: Pakistan's KSE-100 index fell nearly 4 percent to close down 6,600 points, while India's rupee slumped 56 paise to settle at 93.39 against the dollar. European natural gas prices also surged, with the benchmark Dutch TTF contract jumping 8.6 percent to €47.66 per megawatt-hour. London's Heathrow Airport, meanwhile, reported a 10 percent rise in transit passengers in March as the US-Iran war forced Gulf nations to close their airspace, though the airport's chief executive cautioned that the outlook for coming months 'remains uncertain.'
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Trump escalated his threats against Iran's remaining naval assets Monday, warning on Truth Social that any fast attack ships approaching the blockade zone 'will be immediately eliminated, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea,' adding that Iran's navy had been 'completely obliterated — 158 ships.' Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei hit back, framing the blockade as Washington's 'revenge of choice' against the global economy and asking whether it was 'ever worthwhile to cut off one's nose to spite one's face.' Trump separately threatened further strikes on Iranian infrastructure, writing on Truth Social that bridges would be targeted next, followed by power plants, and warning that Iran's new leadership 'knows what needs to be done' and must act quickly. Retired US Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told the BBC the blockade is 'doable' and carries less risk than earlier options such as seizing Kharg Island or militarily escorting convoys through the strait, noting that US warships can operate safely in the Gulf of Oman and interdict vessels at will.
Sources
Africanews — Middle East War: Iran threatens Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman ↗Al Jazeera English — Iran’s army says US plan to blockade Hormuz ‘amounts to piracy’ ↗Al Jazeera English — Starmer says UK will not support US blockade of Strait of Hormuz ↗Al Jazeera English — Trump says Iranian ships to be ‘eliminated’ as US naval blockade begins ↗Al Jazeera English — Trump’s threat to blockade Hormuz: Why it’s the latest major escalation ↗Al Jazeera English — US blockade of Iran would worsen global energy crisis, analysts say ↗Al Jazeera English — What Iran is saying about US plan to blockade ports ↗BBC Arabic — كم تحتاج ناقلات النفط لتصل إلى وجهاتها النهائية؟ ↗BBC World — The US blockade of Iran is a gamble. Will it work? ↗Dawn — PSX sheds 6,600 points after Trump announces Hormuz blockade ↗El País — Última hora de la guerra de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán, en directo | Irán amenaza con ataques a los puertos de la región horas antes de que EE UU bloquee el estrecho de Ormuz ↗Euronews — US blockade of Iranian ports comes into effect as Trump threatens to destroy 'attack ships' ↗France24 — Deadline passes for US blockade of Hormuz, Iran threatens to retaliate against Gulf neighbours ↗France24 — Oil surge as Trump says to blockade Hormuz after Iran talks fail ↗France24 — US says to blockade Iran ports: What could be the consequences? ↗NHK World — トランプ大統領「封鎖地域にイラン側の船近づけば排除」と投稿 ↗NPR World — U.S. military to block ships from Iran's ports after peace talks fail ↗NZZ — LIVE-TICKER - Iran-Krieg: 34 Schiffe haben angeblich die Strasse von Hormuz passiert +++ Trump droht mit der Zerstörung von iranischen Schiffen ↗Rappler — What does a US naval blockade of Iran mean for oil flows? ↗The Guardian — Middle East crisis live: US blockade of Iran’s ports to begin later today as Trump says he doesn’t care about further talks ↗The Guardian — Starmer confirms UK will not support US blockade of strait of Hormuz – UK politics live ↗The Hindu — Israel-Iran war LIVE updates: Iran military say U.S. naval blockade 'amounts to piracy' ↗The Hindu — Rupee weakens by 56 paise to settle at 93.39 against U.S. dollar ↗The Hindu — U.K. will not back blockade of Strait of Hormuz, says PM Starmer ↗The Hindu — Watch: U.S.–Iran talks stall in Islamabad | Ceasefire holds, but big issues remain ↗
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