JAKARTA - The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday warned that any military vessel attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz would be considered a violation of a two-week ceasefire with the United States and would be dealt with "harshly and firmly."
"The strait is under the control and 'intelligent management' of the Iranian Navy," the IRGC said in a statement reported by Iranian state media, adding that the strait "is open to safe passage of non-military vessels in accordance with special regulations," quoted by Al Arabiya (13/4).
It is known that US President Donald Trump on Sunday ordered the US Navy to block the Strait of Hormuz, angry at Iran's refusal to give up its nuclear ambitions after failed peace talks without an agreement.
In a lengthy declaration on his social media platform, Trump said the ultimate goal is to clear the strait of mines and reopen it to all shipping, but in the meantime Iran should not be allowed to take advantage of its control over the waterway.
"Starting right now, the United States Navy, the Best in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKING all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said.
"Any Iranian that shoots at us, or peaceful vessels, will be DESTROYED!"
Iran itself has restricted traffic through the strait - a key route for oil, gas and fertilizer shipments from the Gulf to world markets - while allowing vessels deemed to be working for friendly countries, such as China, to pass. There are unconfirmed reports that Tehran plans to impose a toll.
"THIS IS THE WORLD'S RAPE," Trump said.
"I have also instructed our Navy to search for and intercept any ship in international waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have a safe passage in the open sea. We will also start destroying the mines planted by Iran in the strait," he continued.
The latest ultimatum appears to have been triggered by the failure of talks in Islamabad between a high-level American and Iranian delegation to reach an agreement to end the six-week-old war, which began when the US and Israel launched an attack on Tehran and killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran's refusal to give up its rights to a nuclear program - which Tehran says is aimed at peaceful civilian purposes but is believed by Western countries to be hiding efforts to make a bomb - frustrated the US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kuchner.
"I have always said, from the very beginning, and many years ago, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS!" Trump said.
"The blockade will begin soon. Other countries will be involved in this blockade. Iran will not be allowed to take advantage of this illegal act of extortion," he added.
Vance left Pakistan after the talks - the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic Revolution - and warned Washington had given Tehran "the last and best offer" for a deal, adding: "We'll see if Iran accepts it."
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of his country's negotiating team, said Tehran "put forward a constructive initiative but in the end the other party was unable to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations."
The failure of the talks will raise concerns that a return to fighting could push world energy prices higher and further damage shipping and oil and gas facilities in the region.
Pakistan, which hosted the talks and whose leadership has brought the two rival sides to the negotiating table, said it would continue to facilitate dialogue and urged both countries to continue to respect the temporary ceasefire.
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