The United States military began its blockade of Iranian ports at 1400 GMT on Monday, but said it would not impede vessels bound to or from other countries in the region — a crucial distinction that could prevent a complete shutdown of Strait of Hormuz traffic.
IRGC draws red line at military vessels
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded by declaring the Strait of Hormuz open to civilian vessels, while warning that military ships “will be dealt with severely.” The statement effectively creates a two-tier transit regime: commercial shipping may continue through the strait, but foreign naval assets face direct confrontation.
The distinction matters enormously for global oil markets. If civilian tankers can still transit Hormuz to non-Iranian destinations, the supply disruption may be narrower than the full closure scenario markets were pricing in.
Iran blames US for talks failure
Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf blamed the United States for the collapse of ceasefire negotiations in Pakistan, saying American officials “failed to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation.” The talks in Islamabad lasted nearly 20 hours and reached impasse over Iran’s nuclear programme.
President Trump had announced via Truth Social that the US Navy would “blockade any and all ships” trying to enter or leave the strait — broader language than the Pentagon’s subsequent operational clarification that non-Iranian-bound traffic would not be stopped.
LSEG data showed two Iranian-linked tankers — Aurora and New Future — left the strait before the deadline took effect, suggesting Tehran had anticipated the blockade enforcement.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told his cabinet on Monday that the ceasefire is “still holding” and that “full efforts are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi struck a harder tone, accusing the US of “maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade” during the Islamabad negotiations.
Oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel again on the tensions, compounding pressure on fuel import costs for energy-dependent economies including Sri Lanka. Trump subsequently threatened to sink Iranian ships approaching the blockade, while NATO allies refused to join the enforcement operation.
