Trump directs long-term blockade on Iran
The Wall Street Journal revealed that US President Donald Trump has issued clear instructions to his aides to prepare for a long-term blockade of Iran, in a move that reflects a shift in Washington's approach to the conflict, from direct military confrontation to a strategy of economic-naval attrition that could last for months and possibly years.
After lengthy security consultations, Trump concluded that resuming the bombing of Iran or withdrawing from the confrontation carries political and military risks that outweigh the cost of maintaining the blockade.
US sources said that strangling the Strait of Hormuz and preventing the movement of shipping to and from Iranian ports is a more effective and less expensive means of pressure, especially since controlling the strait means in practice hitting Iran's ability to export and store oil, which forms the backbone of its economy.
The sources confirmed that Trump is not ready to back down from his central demand: Iran's suspension of enrichment for at least 20 years, a condition that Tehran considers a fundamental violation of its nuclear program, and Iran has told the mediators that it needs a few days to consult with the Iranian Supreme Leader before submitting a revised proposal, reflecting the extent of the division within Iranian decision-making circles on how to deal with US pressure.
Fars News Agency: 52 Iranian ships break the US blockade in 72 hours
Iran's Fars news agency reported on Tuesday, April 29, that 52 Iranian ships broke the US blockade on Iran's coast in just 72 hours.
The agency said it had published satellite ship tracking data for the 72-hour period before 22:00 local time on Monday evening, based on data from the agency.
It noted that 31 oil tankers and 21 cargo ships belonging to Iran were able to break the US blockade during this period.
United Nations: Ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has dropped by 95%
The United Nations announced that the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz has decreased by 95.3 percent since the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.
UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric's spokesman said at a press conference that data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) indicate that vessel traffic through the strait has fallen by 95.3 percent since the outbreak of the war on Feb. 28.
Dujarric added that the restrictions on the strait have led to a 6 percent increase in the prices of basic foodstuffs, and for Europe, crude oil prices have risen by 53 percent.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Monday (April 27) that the unrest in the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a global food crisis, calling for "opening the strait and allowing the global economy to breathe."
In his speech at the UN Security Council meeting held under the theme "Maintenance of international peace and security" and entitled "Security and protection of waterways in the maritime domain", Guterres stressed that the disruptions in the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of March have negatively affected global energy security, food supply, and trade, noting that it is the worst disruption in supply chains since the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The United States and Israel began a war on Iran on February 28, 2026, only to respond by launching attacks on Israel and against what it said were American positions and interests in the countries of the region, before Washington and Tehran announced a temporary truce mediated by Pakistan on April 8.
On April 11, Pakistan hosted a round of talks between the two sides that did not lead to an agreement, and on April 21, US President Donald Trump announced an extension of the truce at the request of Pakistani mediation "until Tehran submits its proposal" on the negotiations without specifying a time limit.