President Trump announced Sunday that the United States will impose a naval blockade on one of the world’s most strategically critical maritime passages, the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies transit.
The announcement followed the failure of weekend diplomatic talks held in Islamabad, Pakistan, where American and Iranian officials gathered to negotiate a ceasefire. Vice President JD Vance confirmed Saturday evening that no agreement had been reached.
In a Sunday morning post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the U.S. Navy would begin intercepting any vessels attempting to enter or exit the strait, and specifically directed the military to stop ships that have paid fees to the Iranian government in international waters.
Trump characterized the breakdown as ultimately hinging on Tehran’s nuclear program. While acknowledging that negotiators had made progress on several points, the president said no amount of diplomatic progress could offset the risk of placing nuclear capabilities in the hands of what he described as an unpredictable government.
The blockade announcement coincided with ongoing U.S. naval operations in the region aimed at clearing mines that American officials have attributed to Iran.
