Washington, 13 April 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The United States will block Iranian ports from Monday, with US forces to prevent all ships from entering or leaving the vital oil and gas shipping route.

On Sunday, Trump announced a "complete blockade" of the Strait of Hormuz following failed peace talks with Iran.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports would be blocked from 10 am (1400 GMT) in accordance with Trump's proclamation.

The blockade would be "enforced impartially" against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, CENTCOM said on X.

"CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US would begin "BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz."

He said the US Navy had also been instructed to "interdict every vessel" in international waters that had paid a levy to Iran to use the strait, warning: "No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas."

Blockade to prevent Iran from charging transit fees

Trump aims to use the blockade to prevent Iran from charging shipping companies transit fees for passage through the strait, while also seeking to cut off the country's vital oil revenues.

The president said that the blockade could be eased if safe passage for all vessels were restored. He warned of overwhelming military force in the event of attacks on US forces or civilian ships.

He did not directly address the status of the 14-day ceasefire the US and Israel agreed with Iran last Tuesday. At present, it is due to expire by April 22.

Trump said the US military remains "LOCKED AND LOADED" and is ready to "finish up the little that is left of Iran!"

The escalation follows roughly 20 hours of negotiations in Islamabad, mediated by Pakistan and aimed at securing a lasting peace deal, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Iran's nuclear programme, US sanctions on Iran and broader regional security issues.

The talks ended early Sunday without agreement, with US Vice President JD Vance saying Washington had presented a final proposal that Tehran rejected.

Iran blamed the United States for the failure but did not rule out further negotiations. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran had engaged with the US in good faith.

However, as an agreement seemed near, Iran "encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade," he wrote on X. "Zero lessons earned. Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity."

Iran's president: US 'doublestandards' block path to deal

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said US "double standards" were the main obstacle to reaching an agreement to end the war, according to a statement from the presidency.

"During the negotiations in Islamabad, the United States' continued adherence to double standards and its power-political ambitions were the biggest obstacles," Pezeshkian said in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Iranian presidential office.

Pezeshkian added that Iran remained willing to reach a fair agreement to achieve lasting peace in the region.

"An agreement is certainly achievable, but the United States must adhere to internationally recognized rules and international law," he said, according to the statement.

The talks, the highest-level direct meeting between US and Iranian officials since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, came after Washington had issued an ultimatum demanding the reopening of the strait, which Tehran had effectively closed through threats and attacks on tankers, driving up global energy prices.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints for global oil trade.

Shipping traffic through the passage has been severely reduced since the US and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28, with only a very limited number of vessels able to transit even after the ceasefire went into effect.

MIA file photo