Trump orders US naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz over Iran’s nuclear ambitions

President Donald Trump has ordered a US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear ambitions during peace talks in Islamabad.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump said the blockade would begin immediately, targeting any ships trying to enter or leave the strategic waterway.

“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 wrote.

He added, “Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!”

The 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 meeting was the highest-level between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, was also part of the delegation.

Vance told reporters that the US was leaving with a final and best offer, adding that it remained to be seen whether Iran would accept it.

While acknowledging that the marathon negotiations in Pakistan had gone well and that most points were agreed to, Trump said Tehran had refused to concede on the issue of its nuclear programme.

In two lengthy posts on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of promising to open the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes, and knowingly failing to deliver.

He also referenced Iran’s claim of having placed mines in the water, warning that no ship owner would want to take that chance.

Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz for weeks, since the United States and Israel launched a bombing campaign against the Islamic republic more than six weeks ago.

On Saturday, the US military announced that two US warships had transited the strait at the start of a mine clearance operation.