US-Iran talks collapse as Trump orders Hormuz blockade, tehran fires back
Tensions between the United States and Iran have sharply escalated following the collapse of high-stakes peace talks in Islamabad, with both sides trading blame and issuing fresh threats over control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of derailing negotiations that he said had come close to a breakthrough. In a post on X, Araghchi described the talks as the “highest level in 47 years,” adding that Tehran had engaged “in good faith to end war.”
“But when just inches away from ‘Islamabad MoU,’ we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,” he said. “Zero lessons earned. Good will beget good will. Enmity begets enmity.”
The talks, held on Saturday in Islamabad, were aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East and were backed by a temporary ceasefire set to run until April 22.
However, the diplomatic progress unraveled after Donald Trump announced that the US would impose a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared: “The United States to Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports… Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) later confirmed the move, saying the blockade would be enforced against vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. It clarified, however, that freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels not bound for Iran would not be impeded.
“All mariners are advised to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact US naval forces… when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Tehran reacted angrily to the announcement, with Iran’s Navy Commander Shahram Irani dismissing the threat as “very ridiculous and laughable.”
He added that Iranian forces were closely monitoring US military movements in the region.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a more forceful warning, stating that any foreign military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz under any pretext would be considered a violation of the ceasefire and would face a “severe” response.
Iran’s armed forces also warned that restricting maritime access in international waters was “an illegal act and amounts to piracy,” insisting that access to regional ports should be “either for everyone or for no one.”
Despite the rising tensions, Trump maintained that the ceasefire “is holding well” and said he did “not care” whether Iran returns to the negotiating table—remarks analysts say send mixed signals.
Rasha Al Joundy, a senior researcher at the Dubai Public Policy Research Centre, said the blockade appears designed to exert tactical pressure following the collapse of 21-hour negotiations.
She noted that the measures specifically target Iranian-linked shipping while sparing other international traffic.
Meanwhile, Abdolreza Alami, a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara in Malaysia, described Washington’s approach as contradictory.
“Under UNCLOS, a blockade is an act of coercion— incompatible with any active ceasefire. This is a dual-audience strategy that risks destroying its own credibility,” Alami said.
He added that Trump’s claim of indifference toward renewed talks may itself be a negotiating tactic.
“When Trump says he ‘doesn’t care’ whether Iran returns to the table—that is precisely when you know he desperately needs it,” he said, arguing that Iran’s “strategic patience” could ultimately give it the upper hand.
Regional actors have urged restraint, with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) calling for continued dialogue and respect for international maritime law.
In a statement following a special foreign ministers’ meeting, the bloc emphasised the need for “safe, unimpeded, and continuous transit” through the Strait of Hormuz in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
