U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran will no longer be allowed to “extort the world” as a naval blockade of the country’s ports officially commenced on Monday evening.

We can’t let a country blackmail or extort the world, because that’s what they’re doing,” Trump said in recent comments.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that maritime access restrictions are now being enforced across the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz. 

While the blockade targets all vessels entering or departing Iranian coastal areas, transit through the strait remains open for ships heading to non-Iranian destinations. 

U.S. Central Command confirmed the military will enforce these measures impartially against ships of any nation found trading with the targeted ports.

Nuclear deadlock and military warnings

President Donald Trump, speaking outside the Oval Office, linked the military action to failed weekend negotiations in Islamabad regarding Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. 

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. And we agreed to a lot of things, but they didn’t agree to that,” the President said. 

He also emphasized the necessity of recovering 60% enriched uranium left over from the June 2025 conflict, asserting, “we’re going to get the dust back.”

On social media, the President issued a direct threat to any Iranian naval assets attempting to interfere with the operation. 

“If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED,” he wrote, comparing the engagement rules to those used against maritime drug traffickers. 

Despite the aggressive stance, he claimed that “the right people” from within the country had contacted his administration earlier that morning to express a desire for a new agreement.

The President dismissed concerns over the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz to the United States, citing American energy independence. 

“We don’t use this strait,” Trump said. “We have our own oil and gas, much more than we need.” 

Nevertheless, the blockade has already triggered a rise in global oil prices, leading to higher costs for American motorists and contributing to broader inflationary pressures.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei responded to the restrictions by questioning the logic of the American strategy on social media. 

“Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!” Baghaei wrote, characterizing the blockade as an act of revenge that primarily threatens the stability of the global economy.