U.S. military begins blockading Iranian ports amid fragile ceasefire
The United States on Monday began a naval blockade of all maritime traffic attempting to enter or exit ports in Iran, raising the possibility that the two countries could be drawn into a new confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz and a temporary ceasefire could fall apart, Kyodo reports.
The blockade, confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump when he met the press before 1 p.m. in Washington, came after marathon high-level talks over the weekend between the United States and Iran ended without a breakthrough.
Trump said the objective of the blockade is to reopen the strait to bring gasoline prices lower and force Iran back to the negotiating table.
Trump reiterated that he will not allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon. During the talks in Pakistan, the United States asked Iran to accept a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment, according to U.S. media reports.
But they said Iran's counterproposal was a suspension of up to five years.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he believes Iran will agree to abandon its nuclear ambitions, adding the "right people" in the country had contacted the United States in the morning and "they want to work a deal."
"We can't let a country blackmail or extort the world, because that's what they're doing," he said. "They're really blackmailing the world. We're not going to let that happen."
Irked by the failure of the negotiations in Islamabad, Trump has hardened his tone toward Iran, which has effectively closed the narrow waterway to tanker traffic since the United States and Israel launched strikes against the country in late February.
Amid the strait's closure and the fallout from the unsuccessful peace talks, prices for gasoline, food and other items have risen sharply around the world.
Earlier Monday, Trump renewed his threat to Iran on social media, saying Iranian warships that attempt to come "anywhere close" to U.S. vessels involved in the blockade will be "immediately" destroyed.
The U.S. military's Central Command said Sunday that the blockade was set to be enforced "impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman."
Last week, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire in the war. But the two countries are already at odds over the terms of the truce.
Iran has reacted sharply to the latest round of threats from the United States.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned that any approach by military vessels toward the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a breach of the ceasefire, and such moves will be "dealt with severely."
Earlier, it was reported that Donald Trump had ordered Straight of Hormuz blockade after talks failed in Islamabad.
