On April 11-12, 2026, VP Vance led 21 hours of face-to-face negotiations with Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan. The marathon talks collapsed over Iran's nuclear program and demand to control the Strait of Hormuz. Vance announced: “They have chosen not to accept our terms.” Iran's Parliament Speaker Qalibaf said the U.S. “ultimately failed to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation.”
Hours after the collapse, Trump announced on Truth Social: “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.” Trump accused Iran of “extortion” and said the Navy would also interdict ships that had paid Iran tolls to traverse the strait. CENTCOM announced the blockade would begin Monday, April 13 at 10 AM ET.
Oil surged 7% to $103 per barrel on the announcement. Gas prices were already at $4.12 national average before the blockade order. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil chokepoint — approximately 20% of the world's oil supply passes through it.
This represents a dramatic escalation of the war Trump started without congressional authorization. A naval blockade of a sovereign nation's waterway is an act of war under international law, and carries the risk of direct military confrontation with Iranian naval forces.