Washington, D.C., April 12 (ANI): U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the U.S. Navy will block all maritime traffic entering the Strait of Hormuz.
The president said the military would interdict any vessel in international waters found to have paid transit tolls to Tehran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized Iranian leadership for failing to uphold prior 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,” he wrote.
Addressing reported military threats in the region, Trump dismissed Tehran’s claims regarding its maritime capabilities. “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,” he said.
The escalation in U.S. naval policy follows the breakdown of high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad. Despite intensive discussions aimed at securing a lasting resolution, both sides failed to reach an agreement by Sunday, leaving the existing two-week ceasefire in a fragile state.
Earlier in the day, Trump shared an article from Just the News suggesting that a naval blockade could be a viable strategic response following the stalemate in Pakistan.
The report cited national security experts who said the U.S. Navy could “out-blockade” Iran, pointing to the presence of the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf as assets capable of exerting control over the waterway.
The shift toward a more aggressive maritime posture comes as U.S. Vice President JD Vance departed Islamabad after talks reached an impasse.
“We’ve had a number of substantive 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, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran remains committed to using all available tools, including diplomacy, to safeguard its national interests.
He noted that discussions covered issues such as the nuclear program, war reparations, and sanctions relief, but progress was hindered by what he described as the “excessive demands” of the opposing side.
Baqaei added that Iran’s position remains firm despite significant losses, stating that further progress would depend on recognition of the country’s “legitimate rights and interests,” as tensions continue to rise over control of a critical global energy corridor. (ANI)
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