New Delhi: A day after President Donald Trump announced a full blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command (CENTCOM) clarified that the blockade will instead target maritime traffic entering and exiting Iran’s southern ports, explicitly sparing vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. The embargo targets ports in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman from Monday 10:00 Eastern Time (8.30 pm IST).
On Monday, CENTCOM posted on X, “U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation.” Stating that US forces will not hinder the navigation of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, CENTCOM further added, “The blockade will 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. CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”
This development comes after the failure of the Islamabad Peace Talks which Pakistan mediated between 11 and 12 April 2026 to negotiate a resolution of the West Asia conflict.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump had posted on Truth Social, “The United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.”
“I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also begin destroying the mines that the Iranians laid in the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!” Trump added.
Tehran appears unconcerned about the prospective spikes in energy prices. Iran’s Parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the peace delegation to Islamabad, posted on X, “Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’, soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.”
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the two-week ceasefire with the United States and will face a “harsh and decisive” response. An Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson said the US action “amounts to piracy”, and that Iran would unveil a “permanent mechanism” to control the strait.
According to Searates, a trusted community marketplace, Iran has a total of 13 ports, of which 11 ports are on the southern coast. The Port of Shahid Rajaee in Hormozgan Province handles nearly 80 per cent of the country’s container traffic; other major ports include Chabahar Port in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Parsian Port in Hormozgan Province.
Also Read: US blockade of Iran will be major military endeavor, experts say
Oil’s not well
A fifth of the world’s seaborne oil and natural gas transits the Strait of Hormuz. Blocking this crucial waterway can lead to severe economic damage to many countries that rely on Gulf crude. The surge in oil prices will affect all around the world, including India and the United States.
According to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, in March, over 150 vessels passed through the strait daily. Media reports have further claimed that ships transiting through the strait have to pay a toll to Iran.
Since the conflict began in late February, transit through the strait has been severely limited. This has led to a massive spike in oil prices, as before February, Brent was trading at roughly $70 per barrel. However, the prices have now increased to roughly $102 per barrel.
James Kraska, a professor of international maritime law at the US Naval War College, told the New York Times, “Parties at war can exercise the right of ‘visit and search’, meaning that they can stop and inspect even private vessels in waters that are not neutral and decide whether or not they may pass.”
“Such a blockade could inflict economic damage on Iran that would undermine its ability to keep fighting over the long term by denying it the ability to export oil and earn revenue. But it could also leave countries that rely on Iranian oil, like China, in a bind,” Kraska added.
However, cautioning about the possibility of Iranian mines in the strait, Kraska said, “There still may be mines in the strait, and Iran maintains the ability to fire missiles and drones.”
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
Also Read: Why Trump has threatened a blockade of Iran ports & what are the risks of such a move