A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran came under significant strain on Saturday after Tehran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz once again, citing an ongoing American naval blockade of Iranian ports as a violation of the truce.
Tehran Issues Stark Warning
Iranian officials made clear that access to the strategically vital waterway — through which approximately one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally flows — would not be guaranteed if US warships continued to intercept vessels departing Iranian ports.
"With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would require authorisation from Iran.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei echoed the warning, describing the naval blockade as "a violation of the ceasefire" agreed with Washington for a fortnight to allow diplomatic talks to proceed. "What they call a naval blockade will definitely be met with an appropriate response from Iran," he said.
US Central Command confirmed overnight that American forces had directed 21 ships to turn back since the blockade began earlier this week, posting the update on X alongside an image of a guided-missile destroyer operating in the Arabian Sea.
Trump's Optimism Clashes with Iranian Pushback
The escalating tension comes despite public optimism from US President Donald Trump, who on Friday told reporters that a broader peace deal with Iran was "very close" and claimed Tehran had agreed to surrender its stockpile of enriched uranium — a central point of contention in the negotiations.
"We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators," Trump said at an event in Arizona. He had earlier described the day as "GREAT AND BRILLIANT" in a series of social media posts praising Pakistan, which has been mediating the talks, as well as Gulf allies involved in the process.
Iran, however, flatly rejected Trump's assertion, stating that its enriched uranium stockpile was not going anywhere.
Diplomatic Backdrop
The dispute unfolded against the backdrop of historic direct talks between US and Iranian envoys held in Islamabad last week, brokered by Pakistan. The optimism generated by those discussions had already lifted stock markets on Friday. US Vice President JD Vance attended the talks but departed after 21 hours, acknowledging that a permanent agreement had not been reached.
Trump subsequently suggested he might travel to Pakistan personally to sign any eventual deal, and on Saturday reiterated his confidence that a resolution was within reach, saying there were "no sticking points at all" remaining with Tehran.
Pakistani leaders continued to press both sides on Saturday to move toward a final agreement to end the conflict, even as the dispute over the naval blockade threatened to derail the diplomatic momentum that had been building in recent days.
What Happens Next
With Iran insisting the US naval blockade constitutes a breach of the ceasefire and Washington showing no signs of lifting it, the coming days will be critical for determining whether the diplomatic opening can survive. The status of the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint of enormous importance to global energy markets — remains at the heart of the standoff.
