SRINAGAR: US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the United States Navy would immediately begin a blockade to prevent ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, following the collapse of US-Iran peace talks held in Pakistan.
In a social media statement, Trump said he had directed the US Navy to “seek and interdict” vessels in international waters that have paid what he described as illegal tolls to Iran. He warned that ships complying with such payments would not be guaranteed safe passage.
The US President further stated that Washington remained prepared to take decisive action against Iran “at the appropriate moment,” citing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions as the central reason behind the failure of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The move signals a significant escalation, with the Strait of Hormuz—through which nearly 20 per cent of global oil supply passes—remaining one of the world’s most strategically critical energy routes.
