Trump announces Strait of Hormuz blockade after US-Iran peace talks end

US Navy to enforce blockade, Trump says after condemning Iran for blocking waterway and complaining no agreement reached in Islamabad.President Donald Trump says the United States Navy will begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz “immediately” after peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan ended without an agreement.Trump, in a social media post on Sunday, accused Iran of “extortion” and said the US Navy would also hunt down and interdict ships in international waters that have paid Iran a toll to traverse the strait. He said US forces will also begin clearing mines that he says Iran placed in the strait.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iran must not charge tolls in Strait of Hormuz, UN maritime chief sayslist 2 of 3Oil tankers exit Strait of Hormuz amid fragile US-Iran ceasefirelist 3 of 3US-Iran ceasefire talks: What are the key sticking points?end of list“So, there you have it, the meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not,” Trump said. “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.”Iran has essentially taken control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for the global energy market, since the US and Israel launched a war on Iran on February 28.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on Sunday that civilian vessels can cross the strait in compliance with “specific regulations”, but that military vessels approaching the strait would be considered in violation of the ceasefire and “dealt with severely”.Traffic through the narrow strait has slowed to a trickle, nearly paralysing about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments and sending shock waves through the global economy.Trump’s comments have raised concerns about the status of the fragile two-week ceasefire.