U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States Navy will immediately begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to stop any vessels that have paid fees to Iran.
Trump made the remarks on Truth Social, just hours after negotiations between the United States and Iran in Pakistan failed to produce an agreement.
He said the talks went well overall, with agreement on “most issues,” but noted that both sides failed to reach consensus on Iran’s nuclear program.
“Iran promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, and they know they have not done so. This has caused anxiety and hardship for many people and countries around the world. It is a great shame for Iran and a major blow to its reputation,” Trump stated.
According to Trump, U.S. warships will block any vessel attempting to pass through the strait, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil and gas supply flows.
“Effective immediately, the U.S. Navy—the best in the world—will begin the process of BLOCKADE, and all ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz will be stopped,” he said.
Trump also rejected Iran’s reported plan to impose fees on ships passing through the vital waterway.
“I have also instructed the Navy to identify and stop any ship in international waters that has paid a fee to Iran. No one paying an illegal tax will have safe passage at sea,” he added.
The statement comes after more than 20 hours of negotiations mediated by Pakistan, which ultimately ended without a breakthrough. U.S. Vice President JD Vance confirmed that Tehran did not accept key U.S. security conditions, particularly regarding commitments not to develop nuclear weapons.
Despite describing U.S. negotiators as “quite flexible,” Vance indicated that a significant gap remains between the two sides.
Meanwhile, uncertainty remains over how these developments will affect the recently agreed two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran reached on April 7.
Iran has effectively halted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to a sharp rise in global energy prices. Tehran has also indicated plans to begin collecting transit fees from vessels using the route.
