Trump issued an order on Sunday to block shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. When the US military later clarified the operation, it announced that all shipping to and from Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman would be stopped from 4 p.m. local time in Sweden on Monday.
On Monday evening, Trump confirmed that the blockade had taken effect. He also said that Iranian representatives had been in touch since the weekend's failed peace talks.
I can tell you that we've been called by the other side. They want to make a deal. Really, really very badly.
At least 15 American warships are in place in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters to enforce the blockade, according to information provided to the Wall Street Journal.
Iran threatens ports
A naval blockade against Iran is illegal and in practice constitutes piracy, Iran's military leadership said in a statement on state television.
The statement said if Iran's ports are not left alone, no other state's ports in the Persian Gulf will be either. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it still has control of the Strait of Hormuz and threatens to attack military ships that try to pass through.
The UN's maritime body, and its Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, also said at a press conference that "no country has the right under international law to close international waterways", with indirect reference to the Strait of Hormuz where Iran has prevented traffic and the US blockade of Iranian ports.
When the time came for the American blockade, Trump announced on social platforms that any Iranian "attack vessels" that defy the blockade would be "eliminated."
“I don't care”
The blockade order came after peace negotiations between the US and Iran broke down in Pakistan.
After the announcement, Trump said he "doesn't care" whether Iran is willing to continue negotiations:
I don't care if they come back or not. If they don't come back, I'm okay with that.
Trump also wrote on Truth Social that the US has "wiped out" 158 ships in the Iranian navy, which are "lying on the seabed", but that the US has not so far attacked smaller, fast boats as they "do not pose a major threat".
