U.S. Announces Naval Blockade on Iranian Ports After Failed Talks

The United States announced plans Sunday to impose a naval blockade on all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, escalating tensions after marathon peace talks between Washington and Tehran collapsed in Islamabad, Pakistan, without reaching an agreement. The U.S. Central Command stated the blockade would begin Monday at 10 a.m. EDT, targeting vessels of all nations bound for or departing Iranian coastal areas, including ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Officials emphasized that the measure would not hinder ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz between non-Iranian ports, aiming to preserve freedom of navigation for global trade while isolating Iran's maritime access.

The talks, which lasted nearly 20 hours and marked the highest-level direct negotiations between the adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, broke down primarily over Iran's nuclear program and its restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for about 20 percent of the world's oil shipments. U.S. negotiators, led by Vice President JD Vance, presented what they described as a final offer including demands that Iran end all uranium enrichment, dismantle major nuclear facilities,...