The United States will begin enforcing a maritime blockade on all traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting April 13 at 10 a.m. ET (5:00 p.m. al-Quds Time), according to a statement by US Central Command (CENTCOM).

The measure comes in accordance with a presidential proclamation and will apply to vessels of all nationalities operating in Iranian waters.

CENTCOM said the blockade will be implemented impartially, targeting all ships entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including those located along the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Despite the sweeping restrictions, the command emphasized that freedom of navigation will remain unaffected in one of the region’s most critical waterways.

Vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz en route to or from non-Iranian ports will not be impeded, CENTCOM stated, underscoring that international shipping lanes will remain open.

UK not to participate in blockade

Meanwhile, British government sources said the United Kingdom would not be deploying Royal Navy warships to support President Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Officials indicated the UK will instead continue coordinating with allies to maintain access to the key West Asian shipping route.

The decision means the Royal Navy will not take part in enforcing the blockade, according to the sources.

Trump announces Hormuz blockade

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that Washington would impose a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of negotiations with Iran, signaling a renewed risk of US escalation.

The move follows high-level talks in Islamabad that ended without agreement, with Iranian officials rejecting what they said were excessive US demands, particularly regarding their nuclear program.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said discussions had yielded progress on several fronts but ultimately broke down over Washington’s insistence that Tehran halt uranium enrichment, which Iran maintains is a sovereign right under international law. “So, there you have it, the meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not,” he wrote.

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and that uranium enrichment falls within its sovereign rights, a position that remains central to the ongoing deadlock.

Trump nevertheless framed the outcome as grounds for immediate escalation, announcing that US naval forces would begin enforcing sweeping restrictions in one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors. “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 said.

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