President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would immediately start blockading the Strait of Hormuz and would also interdict every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.
The president emphasized that Iran will never be able to charge tolls for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump made his remarks in a Truth Social post hours after U.S-.Iran peace talks ended without a deal. Trump said the meeting "went well, most points were agreed," but added the two sides had not agreed on Iran's nuclear program.
"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," said Trump, who is strongly opposed to the idea of Iran charging ships a toll to pass through the strait.
"I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas," he said.
The United States and Iran ended face-to-face talks Sunday without reaching an agreement to end the war, leaving a fragile two-week ceasefire in doubt.
U.S. officials said the negotiations collapsed over Iran’s refusal to commit to abandoning its nuclear program, while Iranian officials blamed the United States without specifying key points of disagreement.
Neither side indicated what would happen after the ceasefire expires April 22. Pakistani mediators urged all parties to maintain it. Both sides said their positions were clear and placed responsibility on the other, highlighting persistent divisions.
Vice President JD Vance said after the 21-hour talks that the United States sought a firm commitment from Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons or the capability to rapidly develop them.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led the delegation, said Iran had made its position clear and that it was up to the United States to decide whether it could gain Iran’s trust.
He did not detail the main disputes, though Iranian officials previously said disagreements remained over several key issues and accused the United States of overreach.
Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons while asserting its right to a civilian nuclear program. Experts say its stockpile of enriched uranium, though not weapons-grade, is close to that threshold.
Since the war began Feb. 28, more than 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, along with casualties reported in Lebanon, Israel, and Gulf Arab states. The conflict has damaged infrastructure across multiple countries and disrupted global energy markets, with Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz limiting oil and gas exports.
Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said efforts would continue to facilitate further dialogue and called on all parties to uphold the ceasefire.
Iran said it remains open to continuing negotiations, according to state media.
The two sides entered the talks with differing proposals. Iran’s plan called for a guaranteed end to the war and included provisions related to regional conflicts, including Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. A U.S. proposal reportedly included monitoring measures, limits on Iran’s nuclear program, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait remains a key strategic factor, handling roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments under normal conditions.
Meanwhile, tensions continued in Lebanon. Israeli strikes persisted after the ceasefire announcement, with Lebanese state media reporting fatalities in southern areas.
Talks between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, according to Lebanese officials, though protests have emerged in Beirut over the planned negotiations.
Israel has called for Lebanon’s government to disarm Hezbollah, a longstanding objective that has proven difficult to achieve.
On the day the ceasefire was announced, Israeli airstrikes in Beirut killed more than 300 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, marking the deadliest day in the country since the war began.
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