Strait of Hormuz on edge as Trump announces US naval blockade

The President further stated that the military would interdict any vessel in international waters found to have paid transit tolls to Tehran.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the American Navy will henceforth block all maritime traffic entering the Strait of Hormuz.

The President further stated that the military would interdict any vessel in international waters found to have paid transit tolls to Tehran.

Outlining the decision in a post on Truth Social, Trump criticised the Iranian leadership for reneging on previous diplomatic commitments.

"Iran promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, and they knowingly failed to do so. This caused anxiety, dislocation, and pain to many people and countries throughout the world," the President wrote.

Addressing the reported military threats in the region, Trump dismissed Tehran's claims regarding its maritime capabilities.

"The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade. Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION. They want money and, more importantly, they want Nuclear. Additionally and, at an appropriate moment, we are fully “LOCKED AND LOADED,” and our Military will finish up the little that is left of Iran!" he said in the Truth Social post.

He further said, "They say they put mines in the water, even though all of their navy, and most of their 'mine droppers,' have been completely blown up." 

This significant escalation in US naval policy follows the breakdown of high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad.

"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! Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country. Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft and Radar are useless, Khomeini, and most of their “Leaders,” are dead, all because of their Nuclear ambition," he said in the post.

Despite intensive discussions in the Pakistani capital aimed at securing a permanent end to the conflict, both sides were unable to reach an agreement by Sunday, leaving the existing two-week ceasefire in a precarious state.

Earlier in the day, President Trump had shared an article from Just the News suggesting that a naval blockade was a viable strategic option following the stalemate in Pakistan.

The piece cited national security experts who noted that the US Navy could "out-blockade" Iran, pointing to the presence of the USS Gerald Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf as assets capable of exerting complete control over the waterway.

The move towards a more aggressive maritime posture comes as US Vice President JD Vance departed Islamabad after talks hit a gridlock. "We've had a number of substance agreements with the Iranians--that is the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. That is bad news for Iran, much more than it is bad news for the United States of America," Vance told reporters before his departure.

In response to the diplomatic impasse, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei emphasised that Tehran remains determined to utilise all tools, including diplomacy, to protect its national interests. He stated that while the sessions covered the nuclear issue, war reparations, and the lifting of sanctions, the success of the process remained hindered by the "excessive demands" of the opposing side.

Baqaei maintained that Iran's resolve remains unshaken despite heavy losses, asserting that the country would continue to pursue its historical mission. He added that any further progress depends on the acceptance of Iran's "legitimate rights and interests" as tensions continue to mount over the control of the world's most critical energy chokepoint.