April 13, 2026 | 04:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The escalation between US-Israel and Iran continues to intensify, as the 20-hour ceasefire talks between Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement. Following the breakdown, US President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for all vessels entering and exiting Iranian ports, effective from April 13, at 10:00 a.m. US Eastern Time.
The announcement, posted online, quickly added another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation.
What did Trump say on the Strait of Hormuz blockade?
As The Guardian reported, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday to make the announcement.
“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 wrote.
Trump further declared that "THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted," warning that any Iranian who attacked US vessels would be "BLOWN TO HELL!"
How will the Strait of Hormuz blockade work?
The blockade takes effect from 10:00 a.m. US Eastern Time on April 13. According to US Central Command, it applies to all vessels entering and exiting Iranian ports, including those along the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Notably, ships headed to ports belonging to US Gulf allies will still be permitted passage.
How does the Strait of Hormuz blockade relate to the reopening goal?
The blockade sits in a strategic gray area of how it could lead closer to the reopening goal.
The final round of negotiations in Pakistan was reportedly centered on who would control the Strait of Hormuz after the war ends. Trump and other world leaders have firmly rejected Iran's plan to retain control of the waterway and impose a transit fee of up to $2 million per vessel.
The blockade, then, appears to be a pressure tactic designed to strip Iran of its greatest point of leverage and force the country back to the negotiating table from a weaker position. If the strategy succeeds, a reopened strait could also help bring oil prices back down.
How did Iran respond?
As ABC cited, Tehran firmly rejected Trump's threat. Iran's speaker of parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, made the country's position clear: "We will not bow to any threats. Let them test our will once again so that we can teach them a bigger lesson."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was equally pointed, saying a resolution had been inches away before US-Iran talks collapsed. He blamed Washington's last-minute maximalism and shifting goalposts, capped by the blockade announcement, as the reasons the deal fell apart, adding that the US had shown "zero lessons learned."
What could this mean for oil prices?
The blockade is widely expected to push oil prices higher. Iranian oil exports had continued throughout the war, with the US even temporarily easing sanctions to help keep global supply and prices in check. Cutting off those exports now risks undoing that balance.
Markets have also already reacted sharply, with US crude jumping around 8% to $104 per barrel and Brent crude rising 7% to $102 per barrel following the announcement.
Read: Iran, US Kick off Direct Ceasefire Talks in Pakistan
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