US Hormuz Blockade Begins; Iran Calls It Piracy, Threatens Ports
Quick Reads
- The US military launched a naval blockade on all Iranian port traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, April 13, 2026.
President Donald Trump threatened to “eliminate” Iranian fast attack ships that approach the US blockade.
Iran’s armed forces called the blockade illegal and said it amounts to piracy under international law.
Tehran warned that no port in the Persian Gulf or Gulf of Oman would be safe if Iranian ports are threatened.
Oil prices surged past $100 a barrel as the blockade took immediate effect on global energy markets.
Peace Talks Collapse, Triggering US Hormuz Blockade
High-stakes face-to-face negotiations in Islamabad ended without a breakthrough on Saturday. The US delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance, alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Talks lasted more than 21 hours. Vance announced Saturday evening that the Iranians “have chosen not to accept our terms.”
Iran’s core demands included control over the Strait of Hormuz and payment of war reparations. Tehran also refused to halt uranium enrichment, according to Al Jazeera. These conditions proved unacceptable to Washington. The breakdown left the fragile two-week ceasefire in an uncertain state.
President Trump announced the blockade on Sunday on Truth Social. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote. He also instructed the US Navy to intercept every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.
Iran Brands the Move Piracy, Vows to Control Strait Permanently
Iran’s armed forces responded sharply on Monday. A spokesperson declared that restricting maritime movement in international waters was “illegal and amounts to piracy.” The statement was broadcast by Iranian state television IRIB.
The Iranian military warned that if the security of Iran’s ports is threatened, no port in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman would be safe. The IRGC framed the message plainly: security in the region is “either for everyone or for no one.” Iran also declared plans to implement a permanent mechanism to control the Strait of Hormuz, even after the war ends.
Iranian Navy commander Admiral Shahram Irani dismissed the US threat as “ridiculous,” according to Reuters. Senior IRGC adviser Mohsen Rezaee said Iran’s forces “will not allow such a move by the US.” He added that Iran has “significant untapped capabilities” that the US has not yet seen.
CENTCOM Defines Blockade Scope, Oil Surges Past $100
US Central Command clarified that the blockade applies to “all vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas.” This includes all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM added that vessels transiting the strait between non-Iranian ports would not be impeded.
Trump raised the stakes further with a direct threat on Truth Social. “If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED,” he wrote. He likened the method to what US forces use against drug traffickers at sea. A White House official confirmed to CNBC that the blockade was in effect.
Oil markets reacted immediately. Both WTI and Brent crude topped $100 a barrel by Monday morning. Brent rose almost 8 percent. Energy analyst Karen Young of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy told CNN that prices could remain elevated well into the end of 2026, even after the conflict ends.
Allies Distance Themselves, Global Alarm Grows
The blockade drew immediate concern from US allies. The United Kingdom confirmed it would not participate. A UK government spokesperson told CBS News that London “continues to support freedom of navigation” and is working with France to build a coalition of more than 40 nations to reopen the strait.
Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles said the blockade “makes no sense.” China’s Foreign Ministry urged both sides not to reignite the war, describing the strait as an international trade route whose stability serves the “common interest of the international community.” Qatar’s prime minister called Iran directly, stressing that maritime routes must not be used as a “bargaining chip.”
Nearly 20,000 Indian crew members remained stranded in the region, according to the National Union of Seafarers of India. A union letter to India’s shipping board warned of acute shortages of food, water, and medical supplies aboard vessels in the strait. The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply. OPEC reported that Middle East crude production fell 27 percent in March, before the blockade even began.
