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U.S. Sets Naval Blockade of Iranian Ports as Strait of Hormuz Standoff Escalates

Blocking access to Iranian ports would test control of the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor that carries about one fifth of seaborne oil.

Overview

  • U.S. Central Command, which set a 10 a.m. ET Monday start, said it will stop vessels of any flag entering or leaving Iranian ports while allowing ships bound to or from non‑Iranian ports to transit the strait.
  • The move followed roughly 21 hours of U.S.–Iran talks in Islamabad that broke down over Iran’s nuclear program and control of Hormuz, putting a fragile two‑week ceasefire under strain.
  • U.S. forces sent two destroyers through Hormuz to prepare mine‑clearing and said they are establishing a new passage for commercial traffic, as President Trump ordered interdictions of ships that paid Iranian tolls and pledged to clear mines.
  • Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that any hostile naval approach would be met with a forceful response, asserted full control of the waterway, and labeled a blockade an illegal act of piracy.
  • Oil prices jumped about 8% back above $100 a barrel and stock futures fell after the announcement, with maritime trackers reporting most traffic through the strait paused, though India’s LPG carrier Jag Vikram completed a rare transit during the truce.