US President Donald Trump has ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iran’s “unyielding” refusal to give up its nuclear ambitions during peace talks in Islamabad.
While acknowledging that the marathon negotiations in Pakistan had gone “well” and “most points were agreed to,” Trump said Tehran had refused to concede on the issue of its nuclear programme.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!” he said.
US Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan without a deal after weekend talks with a team led by Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf – the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Tehran’s delegation also included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“We leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it,” Vance told reporters.
In two lengthy posts on Truth Social, Trump slammed Iran for promising to open the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes, and “knowingly” failing to deliver.
“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. They may have done so, but what ship owner would want to take the chance?” Trump said.
Iran had blocked the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel launched a bombing campaign against the Islamic nation. On Saturday, the US military announced that two US warships had transited the strait at the start of a mine clearance operation.
Iran denied the claim, saying it prevented the US warships from crossing the strait.
The USS Frank E Peterson and USS Michael Murphy, both Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, entered the strait on April 11 as part of what the US Central Command (CENTCOM) described as a mission to set conditions for clearing sea mines laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said.
Iran rubbished the CENTCOM version, with the Islamic nation’s military spokesperson saying “the initiative for the passage and movement of any vessel is in the hands of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The IRGC also warned of a strong response to any American military vessel attempting passage.
Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV quoting “highly placed military-security sources” said its cruise missiles locked onto the destroyers and attack drones were deployed, forcing the US ships to retreat within a 30-minute ultimatum.
With inputs from AFP