President Trump has ordered a naval operation in the Strait of Hormuz after US-Iran talks in Pakistan collapsed
Published 12 Apr, 2026 21:18
| Updated 12 Apr, 2026 21:29
The US Department of War has announced that American forces will begin enforcing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports from 10 am ET (2 pm GMT) on April 13, after US-Iran talks in Pakistan ended without a deal.
The US Central Command said the blockade would apply to vessels of all nations calling at Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, but added that it would not impede freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for ships travelling to and from non-Iranian ports.
The move follows the collapse of marathon 21-hour negotiations in Islamabad. Vice President J.D. Vance said Washington had left Pakistan with its “final and best offer” still on the table, while Tehran said the process broke down because of “excessive” or “unreasonable” American demands.
The main sticking points remain the same ones that dominated the Pakistan talks: Iran’s nuclear program, the future of the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, war compensation and the wider regional conflict. Washington has framed the impasse around its demand for a binding commitment that Iran not pursue a nuclear weapon, while Iranian officials say the US tried to win at the negotiating table what it failed to secure during the war.
President Donald Trump had already signaled a more aggressive turn after the talks failed, threatening to “interdict every vessel in International Waters” and to deny “safe passage” to ships that have complied with Iran’s transit rules.
Iran, for its part, has warned that any hostile military activity in the waterway will be met with force, even as President Masoud Pezeshkian has said a deal would still be possible if Washington abandoned what he called “totalitarianism.”
Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here.
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12 April 2026
21:31 GMT
US Central Command has announced that it will begin enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10am ET on April 13, acting under what it described as President Donald Trump’s “proclamation.”
“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” CENTCOM said, promising not to “impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”
The US military added that commercial mariners would receive further guidance through a formal notice before the operation begins, and advised vessels in the Gulf of Oman and near the approaches to Hormuz to monitor official maritime broadcasts and contact US naval forces on channel 16.
https://t.co/YAFhMBm7hA
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 12, 2026
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12 April 2026
21:31 GMT
US Central Command has announced that it will begin enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10am ET on April 13, acting under what it described as President Donald Trump’s “proclamation.”
“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” CENTCOM said, promising not to “impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”
The US military added that commercial mariners would receive further guidance through a formal notice before the operation begins, and advised vessels in the Gulf of Oman and near the approaches to Hormuz to monitor official maritime broadcasts and contact US naval forces on channel 16.
https://t.co/YAFhMBm7hA
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 12, 2026
More