US military says it will blockade all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday

In the countdown to Gulf blockade, the US military said it will blockade all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, effectively seizing control of maritime traffic in the critical Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which a fifth of the global oil supply passes.

“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” US Central Command said in a post on X, adding the United States would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports”.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Iranian security forces had full control over the Strait of Hormuz and warned enemies would be trapped in a “deadly vortex” in case of any “wrong move”.

Iran’s navy chief Shahram Irani called Trump’s threat “ridiculous and funny”, according to state TV, adding the country’s military was “monitoring and supervising all the movements of the aggressive American army in the region”.

Iran ‘will not bow’ to threats

Iran’s parliament speaker, who led the weekend talks, said his country would not give in after Trump’s threats to blockade the strait.

“If they fight, we will fight, and if they come forward with logic, we will deal with logic,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, cited by several Iranian news agencies.

“We will not bow to any threats, let them test our will once again so that we can teach them a bigger lesson.”

Oil rises above $100 again

The US oil benchmark rebounded above $100 a barrel on Monday after peace talks failed and Trump ordered the blockade of Iranian ports.

Shortly after trading began, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery rose around eight percent to $104.50, while June delivery of international benchmark Brent rose seven percent to $102.