US to block all ships attempting to enter or leave Strait of Hormuz; Trump issues order

TEHRAN: The United States has announced that it will block all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump ordered the strict action after Iran refused to withdraw from its nuclear development projects. The blockade will come into force from 10 am today. The move comes after peace talks between Iran and the United States in Pakistan failed. As part of increasing pressure on Iran, the US declared a naval blockade that will apply to all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. Even friendly countries will not be exempt. Meanwhile, Iran has mocked the US decision.

During the 21-hour talks held in Islamabad, both sides reportedly reached an agreement on many issues. However, Iran refused to resolve concerns related to its nuclear program, which Trump criticised. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the U.S. Navy, “the best in the world,” will begin stopping all ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. He also warned that any Iranian who fires at the US or peaceful ships would face severe consequences.

The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, held marathon discussions with the US team led by Vice President J D Vance. The talks continued until early morning but ended without success, leading to the announcement of the blockade.

The United States demanded that Iran stop uranium enrichment and limit its missile programs. Iran, however, said it would continue uranium enrichment for civilian purposes and described its missile program as an internal matter. After the talks, Iran said it does not trust the United States and called the U.S. conditions excessive.

The US also accused Iran of charging more than $1 million as toll fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, only limited ship movement is allowed in the region with approval from Iran's Revolutionary Guard.