US CENTCOM reports blockade of Hormuz Strait

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the start of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime routes for global oil trade. The statement came amid a sharp escalation of tensions in the region and ongoing diplomatic uncertainty between Washington and Tehran.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a post on the social media platform Truth Social, warned that any Iranian fast boats approaching the blockade zone would be destroyed. He said the same system used against drug traffickers at sea would be applied.

The U.S. leader also stated the previous day that American armed forces would stop all vessels attempting to use the route. In addition, he ordered the tracking and interception of tankers that had previously made payments to Iran for passage through the strait.

According to maritime monitoring data, tanker activity in the Strait of Hormuz was virtually absent immediately before the restrictive measures took effect.

Following a temporary truce with Washington last week, Tehran reopened the shipping route but imposed a number of conditions. However, restrictions on vessels from countries considered unfriendly by Iran remain in place.

Talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations were held in Pakistan over the weekend. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the parties failed to reach agreement on several key issues.

According to Reuters, the consultations covered security in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear programme, potential reparations, sanctions, and prospects for conflict resolution. Reports also suggest that a ten-point Iranian proposal could form the basis of a possible future agreement.