The United States Central Command has announced that a naval blockade on Iran will begin at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on April 13, but the scope of the move is narrower than earlier signals from President Donald Trump had suggested, reported Al Jazeera.
According to CENTCOM, the blockade will apply to all maritime traffic entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, including ports located on the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
However, the military said it will not restrict freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels traveling to and from non-Iranian ports.
This marks a narrower operational scope than President Trump’s earlier social media warning, in which he had suggested that ships paying tolls to Iran could be pursued and interdicted in international waters. The latest military statement limits enforcement specifically to vessels linked to Iranian ports rather than all shipping in the strait.
The development follows the breakdown of high level peace talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad, after which Washington announced the maritime move as part of increased pressure on Tehran.
Energy markets are closely watching the announcement because the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes. The assurance that non Iranian traffic can continue to move through the strait may help limit immediate disruption concerns, though geopolitical tensions remain elevated.