On 12/4, the US Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, announced it would begin blocking all maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports starting from 10 AM today (9 PM Hanoi time). This move follows a Strait of Hormuz blockade order previously announced by President Donald Trump.

"The blockade will be enforced fairly for ships of all nations entering and exiting coastal areas in Iran, including all Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman," the statement read.

CENTCOM affirmed it would "not impede freedom of navigation" for ships traveling to and from non-Iranian ports.

The US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East on 10/3. Photo: US Navy

President Trump had previously announced a complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stating he had ordered the US navy to block "all ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz."

He asserted the purpose was to remove all mines and fully open the strait, adding that Iran should not be allowed to profit from controlling this shipping lane. "I have also instructed the navy to search for and intercept any vessels that have paid fees to Iran in international waters. No one paying illegal fees will be allowed safe passage on the high seas," he stated.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), there were reports that Iran planned to charge fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared it still controls the Strait of Hormuz and warned that "the enemy will be caught in a deadly vortex if they miscalculate."

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf stated that Iran would "not surrender to any threats from the US." Iranian Navy Commander Shahram Irani called President Trump's announcement of a Strait of Hormuz blockade "ridiculous."

President Trump's announcement reportedly stemmed from the failure of negotiations between the US and Iran in Pakistan, where the two sides failed to reach an agreement after 21 hours of dialogue. President Trump commented that the event had "gone well" as the two countries reached consensus on most issues, but accused Iran of not agreeing on "the only truly important content: nuclear."

Speaker Ghalibaf noted that Iran had put forth "constructive initiatives," but Washington failed to gain Tehran's trust. Iranian lawmaker Mahmoud Nabavian, who participated in the talks, revealed that among the US demands were "sharing benefits from the Strait of Hormuz" and Iran abandoning its 60% enriched uranium stockpile.

The shipping route (gray) and dangerous area, suspected of having mines (red), in the Strait of Hormuz announced by Iran on 9/4. Photo: IRGC

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital oil transportation route, accounting for about 20% of the global oil supply. Immediately after the US-Israel launched an attack on Iran on 28/2, Tehran deployed numerous speedboats to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

The mines, along with threats from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles, caused the number of cargo ships passing through this waterway to drop significantly, driving up energy prices and giving Iran significant leverage in the conflict.

After a ceasefire and the reopening of the strait were achieved, the IRGC on 9/4 published alternative routes for ships to avoid the risk of hitting mines in the waterway. However, US officials believe these routes are severely limited, primarily due to Iran's unsystematic mine laying.

Pham Giang (According to CNN, AFP)