US Plans Blockade on Iranian Ports After Ceasefire Talks Fail

The United States military announced plans to impose a blockade on all Iranian ports and coastal areas starting Monday, following the collapse of ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad, Pakistan. The move, set to begin at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, targets vessels entering or departing Iranian facilities on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman but will permit transit through the Strait of Hormuz for ships traveling between non-Iranian ports.

The announcement came after 21 hours of direct talks over the weekend, the highest-level discussions between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the negotiations aimed to extend a fragile two-week ceasefire that took effect last week, halting a war that erupted in late February with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The conflict has killed thousands and disrupted global trade routes.

Talks broke down primarily over Iran's nuclear program, with U.S. officials demanding an end to uranium enrichment, the dismantling of facilities, and the retrieval of highly enriched uranium stocks. Washington also sought commitments to...