U.S. Central Command announced Sunday that American forces will establish a comprehensive naval blockade of all Iranian ports beginning April 13 at 10 a.m. ET, enforcing President Trump’s proclamation following collapsed nuclear negotiations in Islamabad. The measure will bar maritime traffic from entering or departing Iranian coastal areas on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM emphasized the blockade will be applied impartially against vessels of all nations, while explicitly preserving freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for ships transiting to and from non-Iranian ports. This distinction suggests strategy targeting Iranian commerce and energy exports rather than global shipping lanes, though operational enforcement challenges remain significant.
Commercial mariners will receive formal notification through standard maritime channels, with advisories to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and maintain bridge-to-bridge communication on channel 16 when operating in affected approaches. The advance warning indicates intent to minimize unintended incidents while maximizing economic coercion impact.
The blockade represents dramatic escalation from prior mine clearance operations and unilateral Hormuz assertions. By sealing Iranian ports entirely, Washington aims to sever Tehran’s remaining revenue flows and force capitulation on nuclear demands rejected during twenty-hour Pakistan talks. Vice President Vance characterized Iran as “unyielding” on uranium enrichment; the blockade applies economic pressure absent military strike authorization.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps previously threatened “severe” response to military vessel transits; the expanded blockade invites confrontation with potentially global implications. CENTCOM’s explicit exemption of non-Iranian Hormuz transit attempts to isolate Tehran diplomatically while maintaining international commerce.
