US Launches Blockade of Iranian Ports

US Launches Blockade of Iranian Ports: China Refuses to Respect It, Europe Seeks Its Own Path, Oil Above $103

14.04.2026 05:33 HotInfo

The United States launched a naval blockade of Iranian ports, which took effect on Monday at 16:00 Central European Time. CENTCOM stated that the operation applies to vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports. At the same time, it clarified that it would not obstruct free passage through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels heading to non-Iranian ports. CBS News ↗

According to American media, more than 15 warships are taking part in the operation, including an aircraft carrier, several guided-missile destroyers, and an amphibious assault ship. According to The Wall Street Journal, American destroyers entered directly into the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the start of the war, where they warned Iran's Revolutionary Guards via radio communication. Fortune ↗

President Donald Trump threatened on the social network Truth Social to destroy any Iranian vessels that approach the blockade. "Warning: If any of these ships approach our BLOCKADE, it will be immediately ELIMINATED," Trump wrote, adding that he would use "the same elimination system as against drug smugglers at sea." Reuters ↗

Iran reacted sharply. The Iranian military command described the blockade as a "criminal act of piracy" and warned that if the security of Iranian ports were threatened, "no port in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea will be safe." Al Jazeera ↗

China refused to respect the American restrictions. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun announced that Beijing would continue to use the Strait of Hormuz and continue energy trade with Iran. China, together with Russia, also vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz in early April, with China's ambassador to the UN describing its adoption as "sending the wrong signal." Al Jazeera ↗

On the other side of the Atlantic, Britain and France refused to support the American blockade. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared that London "will not be dragged into a war." Together with French President Emmanuel Macron, they announced negotiations on a conference focused on a "peaceful multinational initiative" to restore free navigation. According to Macron, it should be "exclusively defensive" and independent of the warring parties, though concrete steps have not yet been confirmed. CNBC ↗

Markets reacted nervously. Brent crude oil prices jumped by more than eight percent and topped $103 a barrel — a 40 percent increase since the start of the war. Only 17 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, compared to the usual 130 daily transits before the war. The International Energy Agency warns of the largest disruption to oil supplies in the history of the modern market. Al Jazeera ↗

The escalation comes at a time when the fragile truce between the US and Iran, brokered by Pakistan, is still formally in effect — its validity, according to CBS News, expires next week. Analysts point out that launching the blockade during the truce is an unusual move that could significantly complicate a diplomatic resolution of the crisis. CNBC ↗