13.04.2026 00:31
After U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy would begin the process of blockading the Strait of Hormuz, threatening that "any Iranian who fires at ships will be sent to hell," the U.S. military provided a date and time. The U.S. Central Command announced that starting from 5:00 PM Turkey time, a maritime blockade would be initiated against all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
No results came from the critical negotiations lasting 21 hours between the US and Iran in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Following the conclusion of the talks without an agreement, US President Donald Trump stated that the US Navy would begin the process of blockading the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said, “We will reach a foundation where everyone is allowed to enter and everyone is allowed to exit. We will also start to destroy the mines that the Iranians have laid in the strait."
US ARMY SET A TIME
Following Trump's threat, a date and time came from the US army. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it would initiate a maritime blockade against all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports starting from 17:00 Turkey time (TRT).
The statement included, "CENTCOM forces will begin to implement a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10:00 on April 13 (US Eastern Time), in accordance with the President's (Donald Trump) instructions." It emphasized that this maritime blockade would be applied "impartially" against all ships of countries entering or leaving all Iranian ports and coastal areas, including those in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
The statement also noted that the CENTCOM forces would not prevent the passage of ships going to ports outside Iran or coming from those ports through the Strait of Hormuz.
TRUMP: ANY IRANIAN WHO FIRES AT US OR PEACEFUL SHIPS WILL BE SENT TO HELL
US President Donald Trump issued a new threat against Iran in his first statement following the unsuccessful negotiations. Stating that the US Navy would begin the process of blockading the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said, “We will reach a foundation where everyone is allowed to enter and everyone is allowed to exit. We will also start to destroy the mines that the Iranians have laid in the strait. Any Iranian who fires at us or peaceful ships will be sent to hell."
FIRST RESPONSE FROM IRAN TO TRUMP'S THREAT: ANY WRONG MOVE WILL TRAP YOU IN A DEADLY WHIRLPOOL
The first response to Trump's threat came from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Command shared images related to the Strait of Hormuz on its social media account. The shared images showed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) conducting surveillance over the Strait of Hormuz. In the statement released with the images, it was stated, "All traffic is under the control of the armed forces. Any wrong move will trap the enemy in a deadly whirlpool in the Strait of Hormuz."
"ANY MILITARY SHIP APPROACHING THE STRAIT WILL BE CONSIDERED A CEASEFIRE VIOLATION"
In a second statement made by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, it was stated, "The IRGC Navy reports that, contrary to the baseless claims of some enemy officials, the Strait of Hormuz is under intelligent control and management and is open to the passage of harmless civilian ships within the established rules. However, regardless of the reason, any military ships attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a ceasefire violation and will be responded to harshly."
“IF YOU FIGHT, WE WILL FIGHT; IF YOU APPROACH WITH LOGIC, WE WILL RESPOND WITH LOGIC”
Kalibaf, stating that the negotiations were "very intense, serious, and difficult," mentioned that they had said from the beginning that they did not trust the US side, as they had been attacked twice during the negotiations. Thanking the Iranian delegation for the discussions lasting more than 20 hours, Kalibaf expressed that the threats made by US President Donald Trump had no effect on the Iranian people and that they had proven this.
Kalibaf said, "If the US wants to find a way out for itself, there is only one way, which is to make a decision and gain the trust of the Iranian people." He addressed the US: "If you fight, we will fight, and if you approach with logic, we will respond with logic. We will not bow to any threat. If they test our will once again, we will give them a bigger lesson."
NO RESULTS CAME FROM 21 HOURS OF MEETINGS
No results came from the critical negotiations lasting 21 hours between the US and Iran in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The US side presented a proposal that included the complete termination of Iran's nuclear program. Tehran rejected this request and put its own proposal on the table. The negotiations reached a deadlock as neither side took a step back. US Vice President J.D. Vance summarized the reason for the deadlock by stating, "We clearly laid out our red lines, but Iran preferred not to accept these conditions." Iranian media suggested that the reason for the inability to reach a common framework and agreement in the Tehran-Washington talks in Islamabad was the excessive demands of the US.
MILITARY PRESSURE YIELDED NO RESULTS
Following the inconclusive talks in Geneva in February, the extensive attacks initiated by the US against Iran also did not yield the expected results. According to Pentagon data, despite 38 days of operations targeting more than 13,000 objectives, Iran did not back down. The Tehran administration clearly stated that military pressure would not change its decisions.
MESSAGE OF DETERMINATION FROM IRAN
The Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized in a statement made after the talks that the country would not back down regarding its nuclear program. The statement said, "Our determination to defend the interests and rights of our nation has strengthened even further." Iran rejected the demands for the complete termination of nuclear activities, considering them within the scope of sovereign rights.
THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS AT THE CENTER OF THE CRISIS
One of the most critical topics of the negotiations was the Strait of Hormuz. While Iran prioritized the control and security of the strait, no consensus was reached with the US on this issue either. Experts believe that a potential conflict could deeply shake global energy markets. Previous crises in the Strait of Hormuz had led to serious economic fluctuations worldwide due to disruptions in approximately 20% of oil supply.
TWO OPTIONS ON THE TABLE: LONG NEGOTIATIONS OR WAR
According to an analysis by The New York Times, the US administration will either enter into a new negotiation process with Iran that could last for years or take the risk of a large-scale conflict that includes control of the Strait of Hormuz. The maintenance of the current positions by the parties weakens the likelihood of a new consensus in the short term while indicating that tensions in the region will continue.