Cairo: The US military was poised to begin a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, as President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on Iran in a move that risks driving oil prices even higher and reigniting the war. Iran responded by threatening all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.”Security in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for NO ONE,” the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported on Monday. “NO PORT in the region will be safe,” according to a statement from the Iranian military and the Revolutionary Guards.US Central Command announced that from 10 am EDT, or 6.30 pm in Iran, the blockade would be enforced “against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas”. It said that would include all of Iran’s ports on the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM said it would still allow ships travelling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a step down from Trump’s earlier threat to blockade the vital waterway, where 20% of global oil transited before fighting began.The announcement halted the limited ship traffic that resumed in the strait since the ceasefire, according to a report from Lloyd’s List intelligence. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire, down from roughly 100 to 135 vessel passages per day before the war.The blockade threat came after marathon US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement on Saturday. US Vice President JD Vance said the talks stalled after Iran refused to accept American terms to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has demanded compensation for damage caused by US-Israeli strikes that launched the war on February 28, and the release of Iran’s frozen assets.Later on Sunday, Trump extended his feud over the war with Pope Leo XIV, lashing out in a Truth Social post that called the Catholic leader “terrible on foreign policy” after Leo denounced the war and demanded that political leaders stop and negotiate peace. The pontiff pushed back on Monday, telling reporters that the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he doesn’t fear the Trump administration. APIran says ‘if you fight, we will fight’April 13, 2026 6:30 pmCairo: A chorus of top-ranking Iranian officials threatened retaliation. Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser and a former Revolutionary Guard Commander, wrote on X that the country’s armed forces had “major untouched levers” to counter a Hormuz blockade. Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran’s side in the talks, addressed Trump in a statement on his return to Iran: “If you fight, we will fight.” Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later said the strait remained under Iran’s “full control” and was open for non-military vessels, but military ones would get a “forceful respons,” two semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported. During the 21-hour talks this weekend in Pakistan, the US military said two destroyers had transited the strait ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran denied it. APThe blockade could have far-reaching effectsApril 13, 2026 6:29 pmCairo: The blockade is likely intended to pile pressure on Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil since the war began, much of it likely carried by so-called “dark” transits that evade Western government sanctions and oversight. The price of US crude rose 8 per cent to USD 104.24 a barrel following the blockade announcement, and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7 per cent to USD 102.29. Brent crude cost roughly USD 70 per barrel before the war in late February. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support on Monday for Trump’s “strong stance to impose a naval blockade on Iran”. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told BBC radio on Monday that Britain will not be part of a US blockade of Iranian ports in response to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz and that Britain is “not getting dragged into the war”. APPakistan merchant ships allowed to cross Strait of Hormuz after initially being denied permissionApril 13, 2026 4:32 pmTwo merchant ships from Pakistan were allowed to cross the Strait of Hormuz and sail to Kuwait and the UAE on Monday after initially being denied permission to pass. Two merchant ships, Shalimar and Khairpur, of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) are the first Pakistani ships to go into the Persian Gulf since the war broke out between Iran, the US and Israel. Initially, the two ships were stopped by Iranian authorities and told to go back from the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, a PNSC official said. “But shortly afterwards they were allowed to cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf,” he added.UK will not back blockade of Strait of Hormuz, says PM StarmerApril 13, 2026 1:38 pmBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that whatever the pressure, Britain would not be dragged into the Iran war and was not supporting a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Starmer said it was vital to get the Strait reopened. Read more: https://www.Jattvibe.com/news/world/uk-will-not-back-blockade-of-strait-of-hormuz-says-pm-starmer/US military says it will blockade all Iranian ports after ceasefire talks failApril 13, 2026 1:24 pmFollowing the collapse of US-Iran negotiations, the US Military announced on Monday that it will block all maritime traffic entering or exiting ports in Iran, in way imposing an economic blockade by preventing the operation of crude and gas laden tankers, which are Iran’s major revenue source. The US Central Command (CENTCOM), in a post on social media platform X, said, “Forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 am ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation.” In the Indian context, the blockade comes into force around 7:30 pm on Monday. CENTCOM said the blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all ports on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. However, it clarified that CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. It means the US will be facilitating maritime trade at other countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and Iraq.European shares slip as Middle East talks collapse, naval blockade loomsApril 13, 2026 1:20 pmEuropean shares dropped on Monday as expectations of a swift resolution to the Middle East conflict faded following the breakdown of US-Iran negotiations and Washington’s decision to impose a blockade around the Strait of Hormuz. The pan-European index was down 0.7 per cent at 610.44 points, as of 0718 GMT.Iran’s armed forces say US restrictions on vessels in Hormuz ‘amounts to piracy’April 13, 2026 1:19 pmAn Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson said on Monday that US restrictions on vessels in international waters was illegal and “amounts to piracy”, and said Iran would decisively implement a “permanent mechanism” to control the Strait of Hormuz following US threats to blockade it. He added that Gulf ports must be accessible to all or none, adding that no port in the Gulf or Gulf of Oman would remain secure if Iranian ports were endangered.China urges calm, restraint over US Strait of Hormuz blockadeApril 13, 2026 1:19 pmChina urges calm and restraint on all sides, a spokesperson for its foreign ministry said on Monday, when asked about US President Donald Trump’s threat to launch a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran failed. Keeping the key waterway safe, stable and unimpeded serves the common interest of the international community, the spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, told a regular press conference. China stands ready to work with all sides to safeguard energy security and supply, he said.Iran war’s global energy crisis sharpens China’s advantage in clean techApril 13, 2026 12:57 pmChina is poised to benefit from the Iran war as global energy disruptions accelerate a shift away from fossil fuels and toward clean technologies and renewable power, industries that China dominates. Most of the oil and gas from the now mostly shut Strait of Hormuz was Asia-bound. Asian nations are scrambling to conserve energy and bolster dwindling reserves. As a temporary ceasefire teeters, gasoline prices in the US and Europe are spiking. While most of Asia is hit hard, China will likely benefit from the fossil fuel disruptions despite being the biggest purchaser of Iranian oil. China leads the world in battery, solar and electric vehicle exports, and its industries are forecast to face a rise in demand for renewable products.Vance-led talks helped build goodwill with Iran: reportApril 13, 2026 12:54 pmUS Vice President JD Vance-led talks for peace with Iran may have been unsuccessful, but the 21-hour-long discussions helped build goodwill with the new leadership in Tehran, according to a media report. The Washington Post, quoting unnamed US officials, reported that the measure of goodwill established during the talks in Islamabad has made Washington believe that Iran may accept their terms to end the deadly and costly war. It said that President Donald Trump’s announcement of a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could force Iran to agree to a deal.European shares poised to open lower as Middle East talks failApril 13, 2026 12:42 pmEuropean stock futures tumbled more than 1 per cent on Monday as optimism for a swift resolution to the Middle East conflict evaporated following the breakdown of crucial US-Iran negotiations.World Bank chief sounds alarm about looming jobs crisis even after war endsApril 13, 2026 12:41 pmThe Middle East war will dominate global finance officials’ talks this week in Washington, but World Bank President Ajay Banga is sounding the alarm about a bigger, looming crisis: a huge gap in jobs for the 1.2 billion people who will reach working age in developing countries in the next 10 to 15 years. At current trajectories, those economies will generate only about 400 million jobs, leaving a deficit of 800 million jobs, Banga told Reuters.The blockade could have far-reaching effectsApril 13, 2026 10:44 amThe blockage is likely intended to add pressure on Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil since the war began, much of it likely carried by so-called “dark” transits that evade Western government sanctions and oversight. Trump also hopes to undercut Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz after demanding that it reopen the waterway where 20 per cent of global oil transited before fighting began. A US blockade could further rattle global energy markets. Oil prices rose in early market trading after the blockade announcement. The price of US crude rose 8 per cent to $104.24 a barrel, and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7 per cent to $102.29. Brent crude cost roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February.Iran warns of harsh response to blockade, accuses US of maximalism in talksApril 13, 2026 10:41 amAfter Trump’s initial remarks on Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards warned that military vessels approaching the strait will be considered a ceasefire breach and dealt with harshly and decisively, underlining the risk of a dangerous escalation. A US official said Iran rejected Washington’s call for an end to all uranium enrichment, the dismantling of all major enrichment facilities and the transfer of highly enriched uranium. Iran also refused US demands that Iran cease funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, as well as fully open the Strait of Hormuz, the official added.Safe-haven dollar gains as peace talks falterApril 13, 2026 10:38 amThe safe-haven dollar advanced on Monday as peace talks between the U.S. and Iran broke down and the American Navy prepared a blockade of Iranian ports, though the greenback pared gains as the trading session continued. The euro was down 0.3 per cent at $1.1689, while the British pound fell 0.4 per cent to $1.3403; both rallied off earlier lows. The risk-sensitive Australian dollar was 0.5 per cent lower at $0.7037 and the New Zealand dollar was off 0.3 per cent at $0.5824.Oil prices resume their climb, Asian markets decline as US prepares for blockade of HormuzApril 13, 2026 10:05 amOil prices resumed their climb and Asian markets mostly declined Monday as the US military prepared to blockade ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, where most shipping has been stalled by Iran since the start of the war.Trump says he doesn’t care when Iran returns to negotiating tableApril 13, 2026 8:34 amSpeaking to reporters outside Washington after flying back from Florida, Trump was asked how long it might be before Iranian officials returned to the negotiating table amid a fragile ceasefire. “I don’t care if they come back or not,” he replied. “If they don’t come back, I’m fine.”