President Trump accused Iran of blocking the waterway and told the US Navy he would enforce the blockade after complaining that no deal had been reached in Islamabad.
Published April 12, 2026
President Donald Trump said the US Navy would begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz “immediately” after peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan ended without a deal.
In a social media post Sunday, President Trump accused Iran of “blackmail” and said the U.S. Navy would search and interdict ships on the high seas that paid Iran a toll to transit the strait.
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“So, the talks went well and we reached agreement on most things, but not on the one thing that really mattered, the nuclear issue,” Trump said. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the world’s most powerful navy, will begin the process of blockading any ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz.”
Since the United States and Israel began their war against Iran on February 28, Iran has effectively taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key gateway for global energy markets.
Traffic through the narrow strait has slowed to a trickle, nearly crippling about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments and sending a shockwave through the global economy.
Iran has denied US claims that two of its warships recently passed through the strait on mine-clearing operations, warning that any warships attempting to do so would face a “strong response.” In a social media post, President Trump called Iran’s control of the waterways a “world usurpation” and added that Iranian forces that open fire on U.S. troops or “peaceful vessels” will be “blown to hell.”
He added that the blockade involved unspecified “other countries” and that Iran would not be allowed to benefit from the strait blockade.
Iran has been sending its own ships through the strait since the start of the war, and has allowed several ships from other countries to pass through. Iranian officials are also discussing establishing a fee structure in which users would pay Iran a fee to cross the strait after the fighting ends.
“I have also directed the Navy to search for and interdict any vessels harming Iran on the high seas,” President Trump said Sunday. “Those who pay illegal tolls will no longer be able to safely navigate the high seas.”
