President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States Navy would immediately begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz. He also instructed naval forces to intercept any vessels in international waters that have paid a toll to Iran. This declaration came shortly after peace negotiations between the US and Iran concluded without reaching an agreement.
Trump stated that while the talks “went well” and most issues were agreed upon, the two sides failed to settle the matter of Iran’s nuclear program. Emphasizing his opposition to Iran’s practice of charging ships a toll to pass through the strategic waterway, he declared, “Effective immediately, 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.” He further warned that vessels paying the illegal toll would not have safe passage on the high seas.
Earlier on Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance announced that the American negotiating team was departing Pakistan after 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, having failed to secure a deal with Iran. This development threatens the fragile two-week ceasefire between the two countries. Vance described the outcome as unfavorable primarily for Iran, stating, “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.” He reaffirmed that the US had clearly communicated its red lines during the discussions.
Vance criticized Iran for rejecting American terms, including commitments not to develop nuclear weapons. As he boarded Air Force Two in Islamabad, he emphasized the core objective of the US administration: “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency attributed the failure to excessive US demands, confirming that negotiations had ended. Prior to Vance’s statement, the Iranian government had indicated on the social media platform X that talks would continue at a technical level, with experts from both sides exchanging documents.
