US President Donald Trump has announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following failed talks with Iran.
The president stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the blockade would begin immediately and that other countries would be involved. He added that the US Navy would commence operations to remove mines from the heavily-trafficked shipping route.
Trump declared that US naval forces will prevent all ships from entering or leaving the strategic waterway. He also ordered the navy to locate and detain any vessel that pays tolls to Iran in international waters. “No one who has paid illegal tolls will have safe passage on the open sea,” he warned.
The president accused Iran of extorting the global community by insinuating there are explosives in the strait. “Leaders of nations, especially the United States of America, will never be blackmailed,” Trump asserted.
He further threatened to destroy any mines Iran has laid in the strait and issued a stark warning. “Any Iranian who fires at us or at peaceful vessels will be blown to hell,” Trump said.
The US president blamed Iran for the breakdown of negotiations, citing Tehran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear programme. Despite progress on other issues, he maintained this was the only matter of significance during the talks. “There’s only one thing that matters: Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions!” he remarked.
Trump praised the efforts of the US delegation at the Islamabad talks, which included Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. He commended their work and noted agreement on certain points, though he dismissed these relative to the nuclear dispute.
“In many ways, the points agreed upon are better than continuing military operations indefinitely, but none of that matters compared to the threat of leaving nuclear power in the hands of such volatile, challenging, and unpredictable people,” Trump stated, reaffirming his stance: “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon!”
