US Navy to blockade Strait of Hormuz, Trump says after Iran talks fail

WASHINGTON – 12 April 2026: President Donald Trump said the United States Navy will begin imposing a blockade on ships entering and leaving the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Iran of failing to reopen the vital waterway and refusing to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

In a lengthy statement following marathon US-Iran talks in Islamabad that concluded early on Sunday without reaching a deal that shuts the door for good on their currently paused war.

Trump said the decision comes after Iran failed to honor commitments to ensure safe passage through the strait under a ceasefire recently reached by the two warring sides after nearly 40 days of war.

He added that US forces would also begin clearing any mines believed to have been laid in the waterway and would interdict vessels suspected of paying what he described as “illegal tolls” to Iran.

The move, according to Trump, is intended to restore free navigation through the strait and prevent what he called “world extortion,” while increasing pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program.

‘Iran Unwilling to Give Up Nuclear Ambitions’

Trump reiterated that Iran’s refusal to give up its nuclear ambitions was the central sticking point in the talks in Islamabad, despite progress on other issues.

 

“In many ways, the points that were agreed to are better than us continuing our Military Operations to conclusion, but all of those points don’t matter compared to allowing Nuclear Power to be in the hands of such volatile, difficult, unpredictable people.”

He added that "IRAN IS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS!"

Blockading Hormuz Strait

Trump said the US will begin “shortly” to blockade “any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” but “At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis.”

He warned that any Iranians that may attack US forces or commercial vessels will “be BLOWN TO HELL.”

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which fifth of the world’s oil supply passes, has been almost blocked by Iran since the start of the US-Israeli strikes on February 28, causing energy prices worldwide to soar.