Trump accuses Iran of disavowing the opening of "Hormuz" and declares a comprehensive blockade
US President Donald Trump accused Iran of backing away from its commitments related to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that Tehran is "in a very bad and desperate state" and that it "will never possess a nuclear weapon."
Trump said the naval blockade would begin on Monday, noting that the United States and other countries were working to prevent Iran from selling oil, adding that the status quo in the waterway "will not continue and will be corrected soon."
Trump expressed what he described as "deep disappointment" toward NATO, saying the alliance "did not stand by the United States" and that Washington's financial contributions "will be subject to serious scrutiny."
Washington announces date for siege of Hormuz
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the start of the implementation of a naval blockade on all Iranian ports as of April 13 at 10 a.m. East Coast time of the United States.
It stressed that the blockade will not impede the movement of ships heading to non-Iranian ports, and that it will include ports located on the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
The Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump and his advisers are considering limited military options against Iran, along with imposing U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz, in an effort to break the stalemate that followed the collapse of recent peace talks.
According to the newspaper, the option of all-out bombing is currently ruled out to avoid destabilizing the region, while a naval blockade is seen as the "least bad option." White House sources also quoted Trump as saying that Trump had ordered a naval blockade of the strait "to end Iranian blackmail."
Islamabad negotiations end
Trump revealed on his platform "Truth Social" the details of a meeting that lasted about 21 hours in the Pakistani capital between his representatives (J.D. Vance, Steve Whitkoff, and Jared Kushner) and the Iranian delegation consisting of Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Abbas Araghchi and Ali Bagheri.
He said that the negotiations witnessed consensus on most points, but Tehran's insistence on its nuclear ambitions led to the failure of the talks, stressing that "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon." He accused Tehran of planting mines in international waters and imposing illegal tolls, announcing the issuance of instructions to start a comprehensive naval blockade on ships entering and exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran defies blockade plans
Tehran has responded sharply to the US steps, with Mohsen Rezaei, a member of the Expediency Council, saying that the United States "will fail in any naval blockade," stressing that Iranian forces "will not allow it to be implemented" and that Iran has "cards of strength" to counter any US move.
Iran's Defense Ministry stressed that the management of the Strait of Hormuz "will remain in the hands of Iran and the region forever," adding that "the enemy has not been able to topple the regime, dismantle the country or control the strait."
Iranian media quoted Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani as saying that "the resistance front is strongly present in the entire region and is on the lookout for the enemy," while the commander of the Iranian army's navy described Trump's threats of imposing a naval blockade as "ridiculous," stressing that Iranian forces are monitoring all US moves.
This escalation comes in the absence of signs of resumption of negotiations between the two sides, amid fears that a naval blockade or any limited confrontation could lead to wider tension in the Gulf, and the region is awaiting developments in the coming days, at a time when each side is sticking to its position on the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian nuclear file.