Trump says US will blockade Strait of Hormuz after Iran talks end without deal
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Donald Trump is reportedly considering resuming strikes in Iran after threatening to blockade all ships in the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of peace talks in Pakistan.
The US president is considering airstrikes on Iran, among other measures, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed US officials.
Trump has threatened to “take out” Iran’s energy infrastructure and that the US military would start “blockading any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz”.
Trump added, without elaborating: “Other countries will be involved with this Blockade.”
The US Central Command announced that it will blockade all Iranian ports beginning Monday at 10am EDT, or 5.30pm in Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that the blockade of “approaching military vessels to the Strait of Hormuz is considered a violation of the ceasefire”.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Naqer Ghalibaf, who led Tehran’s negotiators at the weekend talks with Washington, taunted Trump over rising gas prices, saying, “enjoy the current pump figures”.
Why the US-Iran peace talks failed after just one day – and what happens next
US and Iranian officials travelled to Pakistan on Saturday for what were hailed as “make or break” peace talks aimed at bringing an end to the bloody six-week war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. But less than 24 hours later, the teams departed Islamabad empty-handed.
An Iranian analyst close to the government told The New York Times the talks fell apart due to US demands for zero enrichment and the removal of nearly 900 pounds of stockpile uranium, as well as the Hormuz issue.
A foreign ministry spokesperson said the negotiations took place in an “atmosphere of mistrust”, adding it was unrealistic to expect a deal in a single round. They confirmed there are currently no plans in place for a resumption of talks.
Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 06:30
Whereabout of prominent female lawyer unknown after arrest
Uncertainty is deepening over the fate of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has not been seen for 12 days since her arrest, according to the rights monitor HRANA.
During this period, she has managed just one short phone call with her family.
In the call, she told them she had been detained by intelligence agents, but giving no indication of where she was being held.
Efforts by her family to trace her through judicial and security channels have so far failed, with authorities reportedly saying there is no official record of her detention.
Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh (L) speaks on the phone next to her husband Reza Khandan as they pose for a photo at their house in Tehran in 2013, after she was freed following three years in prison (AFP/Getty)
Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 06:29
Starmer refuses to join Trump’s blockage of Strait of Hormuz
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to join Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which could compound economic pain for Britons with higher petrol costs.
The president threatened stop tankers from entering or leaving the key oil and gas shipping lane, a move that is expected to further drive up oil prices when markets open, after they have already risen as a result of Iran’s grip on the strait in retaliation for the US-Israel war against it.
The prime minister will discuss cost-of-living pressures with local people on a visit to Greater Manchester on Monday.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will travel to Washington for International Monetary Fund meetings this week, after warning that “the war in Iran will come at a cost to British families and business”.
MPs return to Westminster from the Easter recess on Monday with no resolution to the Middle East crisis in sight and the fate of a shaky two-week ceasefire uncertain.
Britain will not be involved in the blockade, it is understood.
The UK is “urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation,” a government spokesperson said.
Sir Keir and French president Emmanuel Macron agreed on the need to work with a broad coalition of partners on the matter in a call, according to No 10.
Britain will host further talks on reopening the maritime pinch-point with a coalition of countries this week.
Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 06:15
US strike on alleged drug boat kills five
A US military strike on two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of five people and leaving one survivor, the military said.
The attacks on Saturday bring the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the US military to at least 168 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.
As with most of the military’s statements on the dozens of strikes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, US Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes.
The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs.
Videos posted on X showed small boats moving across the water before they each were engulfed in a bright explosion.
US Southern Command stated on X that it notified the US Coast Guard to activate the search-and-rescue system for the survivor. The Coast Guard confirmed it was coordinating the search and said updates would be provided when available.
Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the US over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.
Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 06:12
ICYMI: Trump slammed for smiles at UFC 327 as Iran peace talks fail
President Donald Trump faced criticism for enjoying a night out with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the extended Trump family at UFC 327 while peace talks between U.S. and Iranian officials faltered.
On Saturday evening, Trump arrived at the Kaseya Center alongside Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White and several family members, including Ivanka and Tiffany Trump, to watch the light heavyweight fight between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg.
Read more about the reaction here from Ariana Baio:
Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 06:00
Analyst says US blockade would amount to an act of war
A proposed US naval blockade of Iran risks escalating the conflict and destabilising an already fragile ceasefire, experts have warned.
Donald Trump said the US Navy would begin “BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz” after peace talks in Islamabad failed.
The US Central Command later clarified the move would target vessels linked to Iran, including those using its ports.
“No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,” Trump wrote, framing the move as pressure on Tehran to reopen the strait – a key route for about 20 per cent of global oil trade.
But analysts say such a blockade would amount to an act of war and require a sustained military commitment.
“Trump wants a quick fix. The reality is, this mission is difficult to execute alone and likely unsustainable over the medium to long-term,” said Dana Stroul of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
There are also concerns about retaliation. Former US naval chief Gary Roughead warned Iran could target shipping or regional infrastructure.
“I honestly believe that if we begin to do it, Iran will have some kind of a reaction,” he said.
With few operational details released, questions remain over how the blockade would be enforced – and whether Washington is prepared for the broader consequences in a region already on edge.
Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 05:39
Senior Iranian delegate says Islamabad talks have ‘laid the foundation’ for success
A senior member of the Iranian delegation at the weekends negotiations said that the talks had “laid the foundations” future success.
“The Islamabad Talks laid the foundation for a diplomatic process that, if trust and will are strengthened, can create a sustainable framework for the interests of all parties,” Reza Amiri Moghadam wrote on X.
“With the tireless efforts of all sectors in Pakistan, including the government, army, police and security forces to facilitate and manage the talks, talks were held in a dignified and befitting atmosphere for the guests in a calm, orderly and secure environment with equal logistic opportunities for both sides.”
Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 05:15
Trump weighs limited strikes on Iran amid stalled talks – report
Donald Trump is considering resuming limited military strikes on Iran, alongside a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, to break the deadlock in peace negotiations, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The options were discussed on Sunday, hours after talks in Pakistan collapsed, officials familiar with the matter said.
The report said Trump could also resume a full-fledged bombing campaign, though officials said that was less likely given the prospect of further destabilizing the region and the president’s aversion to prolonged military conflicts.
“He could also seek a more temporary blockade while he pressures allies to take responsibility for a prolonged military escort mission through the strait in the future,” it added.
A White House spokesperson refused to discuss Trump’s specific options, the report said.
Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 05:00
Watch: Starmer urges US and Iran ‘to find a way through’ after peace talks failStarmer urges US and Iran ‘to find a way through’ after peace talks fail
Mike Bedigan13 April 2026 04:30
Oil surges after US-Iran talks in Islamabad fail
Global markets slipped on Monday as failed US–Iran talks left a fragile ceasefire in doubt, pushing oil prices sharply higher and boosting the dollar.
Brent crude jumped 8 per cent to above $100 a barrel, while S&P 500 futures fell 1 per cent and Asian markets edged lower.
Moves in Asian stock markets were broadly lower but relatively modest, with Japan’s Nikkei falling 0.4 per cent, South Korea’s KOSPI 1.4 per cent and the S&P/ASX 200 slipping 0.6 per cent.
Investor caution persisted amid uncertainty over a six-week conflict that has already driven oil up more than 30 per cent. The US move to block Iranian ports and restrict flows through the Strait of Hormuz has heightened fears of further disruption to energy supplies.
Analysts warn markets are effectively back to pre-ceasefire conditions, with risks rising of renewed strikes on Iran and broader damage to regional energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, safe-haven demand weakened, with gold falling, while risk-sensitive currencies came under pressure. Growing inflation concerns are also fuelling expectations that central banks may shift back towards rate hikes.
Shweta Sharma13 April 2026 04:16