US Military Begins Naval Blockade of Iranian Ports, Trump Threatens to Eliminate Ships

The United States military began a naval blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on April 13.

CENTCOM announced the blockade would apply to vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports.

Anadolu Ajansı

Trump warned that ships coming close to the blockade would be immediately eliminated.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps condemned the blockade as piracy.

The blockade came after weekend peace talks ended without agreement.

The blockade covers all of Iran's approximately 1,500 kilometers of coastline.

CENTCOM warned vessels could be subject to tracking, rerouting, and seizure.

AP News

The UK Maritime Trade Operations said transit to non-Iranian places was not impeded.

Three legal experts told the BBC a blockade could violate maritime law.

The International Maritime Organization stated no country has the right to restrict freedom of navigation.

The blockade aimed to prevent Iran from profiting from oil exports.

It was estimated to cost Iran $276 million a day in lost exports.

Oil prices jumped above $100 per barrel.

European leaders rejected joining the blockade.

Iran warned that no port in the region would be safe if its ports were threatened.

The blockade came just days after 21 hours of peace talks ended without agreement.

Vance sought a 20-year suspension of Iran's nuclear program.

BBC

The two-week ceasefire was premised on Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said he didn't care if Iran returned to the negotiating table.

The blockade raised questions about whether the ceasefire would hold.