President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States blockade of Iranian ports is now in force, describing it as the opening of a new and sharper chapter in Washington’s standoff with Tehran.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said the operation began at 10:00 a.m. ET (14:00 GMT) and was being overseen by US Central Command.
All vessels heading to or departing Iranian ports are now subject to the new restrictions.
And for any Iranian fast-attack boats that venture near the blockade, would be “immediately eliminated.”
Yet in the same breath, Trump struck a strikingly different tone on diplomacy, claiming Tehran had already blinked.
“They want a deal very badly,” he told reporters, adding that he had been contacted by what he described as “the appropriate people” from the Iranian side earlier in the day.
Whether that signals the beginning of a genuine off-ramp or simply reflects Trump’s characteristic confidence remains to be seen.
Iran, for its part, is projecting no such urgency. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Tehran’s delegation in the collapsed weekend talks, was direct: Iran would not “surrender under threats.”
There has been no official Iranian response to Trump’s latest remarks.
On the ground, the UK Maritime Trade Operations has put commercial shipping on notice, warning vessels in the region to expect a heightened military presence and the possibility of inspections while transiting the area a signal of just how volatile the waterway has become.
The blockade follows a weekend of intensive but ultimately fruitless negotiations between US and Iranian officials. Trump blamed the breakdown on Tehran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear programme.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi countered that Washington had been shifting its demands throughout the talks, making any agreement impossible.
Away from the main diplomatic theatre, Pope Leo XIV offered a quiet but pointed rebuttal to Trump, who had criticised the pontiff over his calls for peace.
The Pope made clear he had no interest in a public quarrel, reaffirming that his focus was on promoting peace not scoring political points.
With military pressure mounting, diplomacy stalled and both sides showing no sign of retreat, the coming hours will test whether back-channel contacts can cool a confrontation that is edging closer to the point of no return.
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