Middle East
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on April 12, 2026. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump said Monday a fragile ceasefire with Iran is “holding well” despite Washington preparing to impose a naval blockade on ships entering and leaving Iranian ports following failed talks in Pakistan.
“I would say it’s holding well,” Trump told reporters early Monday, referring to the two-week ceasefire agreement between Tehran and Washington reached on Wednesday. In a post on Truth Social, he said that the US is going to “Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports on April 13 at 10:00 A.M.”
After the US and Israel launched their campaign against Iran on February 28, Tehran tightened control over the Strait, effectively limiting commercial access. The chokepoint handles roughly 20 percent of global seaborne oil trade, and its disruption pushed global oil prices up by 40 to 50 percent.
On Saturday, two US Navy warships transited the Strait of Hormuz to “fully clear” it of mines laid by Iran, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
Trump’s remarks come a day after high-level talks with Iran in Islamabad over the weekend failed to produce a deal.
He said the move is part of broader efforts to curb Iran’s oil exports and increase pressure on Tehran. “Other nations are working so that Iran will not be able to sell oil, and that would be very effective,” he said, adding that maritime traffic would be closely monitored to prevent shipments linked to Iran.
Trump said Iran’s military capabilities have been significantly weakened in the war that continued for nearly 40 days.
“Their military is destroyed. Their whole navy is underwater… their missiles are largely depleted,” he said, while reiterating Washington’s position that Tehran will not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. “Iran will not have a nuclear weapon… there is no way that they’re going to get it.”
Trump signaled indifference toward reviving negotiations. “I don’t care if they come back or not. If they don’t come back, I’m fine,” he said, referring to talks that collapsed in Islamabad.
Iranian officials rejected Washington’s stance, warning they would respond to any further pressure. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, as cited by several Iranian news agencies, “If they fight, we will fight, and if they come forward with logic, we will deal with logic… We will not bow to any threats.”
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday Tehran had been close to a deal before talks broke down. “Iran engaged with US in good faith to end war,” he said in a post on X, adding that negotiators were “just inches away” from "Islamabad MoU" before encountering “maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade.”
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