The US military announced on Sunday that it will begin blocking all Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf at 19:30 IST on Monday, effectively taking control of ships entering and leaving Iran. However, vessels not heading to or from Iran will continue to be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil reserves.
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“The United States Navy, the best in the world, will immediately begin the process of BLOCKING all ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. “Any Iranian who fires at us or peaceful vessels will BURN IN HELL.”
“The blockade will be applied impartially against vessels of all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports in the Arabian and Gulf of Oman,” US Central Command said in a post on X, adding that the US “will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports”.
The post clarified earlier threats on social media by US President Donald Trump that “any and all ships” would be affected.
Great Britain will not join the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
The United Kingdom has decided not to join the proposed U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, adding to the rift between Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the situation in Iran, according to Bloomberg.
The British government said in a statement on Sunday that it supports keeping navigation open and keeping the strait accessible after Trump announced the US would launch a full naval blockade of the key waterway vital to global energy distribution.
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Tensions between the two leaders worsened after Keir Starmer refused to allow US forces to use British military bases for initial strikes on Iran, prompting Donald Trump to respond with a series of sharp criticisms and insults directed at him.
Australia demands that the Strait of Hormuz be opened to all
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, saying the United States has not asked for Australian help to block it.
Albanese told the Nine Network on Monday: “We didn’t receive any requests and we made this announcement overnight and we made it unilaterally. And we weren’t asked to be involved.”
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“We want negotiations to continue and resume. We want to see an end to this conflict. We want the Strait of Hormuz to be opened to all. We also want to see freedom of navigation as required by international law,” Albanese added.
Are more negotiations on the way?
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump said he still believed Iran was willing to continue negotiations, calling recent talks in Islamabad “very friendly.”
“I believe they will come to the table about it because nobody can be stupid enough to say, ‘We want nuclear weapons,’ and they have no cards,” he said, according to Reuters.
A few hours later, however, the US president declared that he did not care if a “desperate” Iran returned to the negotiating table.
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“If they don’t come back, I’m fine,” Trump told reporters Sunday night after returning to the Washington area from an overnight stay in Florida.
Qalibaf accused the US of failing to gain Tehran’s trust despite his team offering “progressive initiatives”, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who discussed the talks in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Tehran wanted a “balanced and fair deal”.
“If the United States returns to the framework of international law, reaching an agreement is not far,” he told Putin, Iranian state media reported.
(With input from agencies)
