Global alarm grows as U.S.–Iran standoff brings Strait of Hormuz shipping to a halt

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International 13-04-2026 | 15:41

Global alarm grows as U.S.–Iran standoff brings Strait of Hormuz shipping to a halt

From halted tankers to emergency diplomacy, the crisis tests global energy security as Iran, Washington, and world powers brace for escalation.
Annahar
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Global alarm grows as U.S.–Iran standoff brings Strait of Hormuz shipping to a halt
Strait of Hormuz.
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The Strait of Hormuz crisis has entered an unprecedented stage of escalation after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the start of a naval blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports, effective Monday morning, sparking a wave of international reactions and raising tensions in one of the world’s most critical energy arteries.

 

 

Trump stated that the decision came after the collapse of 21-hour negotiations with Iran in Islamabad, accusing Tehran of having “chosen nuclear weapons over peace,” while the White House confirmed that “all options are on the table” in addressing the crisis.

 

 

Iran

 

In response, Iran described the U.S. move as “illegitimate and amounting to piracy,” and a spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces announced that Tehran would implement a “permanent mechanism” to control the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “Gulf ports must be open to all or open to none,” and threatening that no port in the Gulf or Gulf of Oman would be safe if Iranian ports are endangered.

 

 

An oil tanker passes through the Strait of Hormuz
An oil tanker passes through the Strait of Hormuz

 

 

International reactions

 

Capitals around the world rushed to warn of the danger of sliding towards a wider confrontation, as French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that any maritime mission in the strait would be “entirely defensive,” announcing an upcoming French-British conference to restore freedom of navigation, while China urged Washington and Tehran to exercise restraint, and Britain, Turkey, Australia, and ASEAN countries stressed the necessity of keeping the strait open and resuming negotiations.

 

On the ground, the U.S. military announced that the blockade will only apply to ships headed to and from Iranian ports, while maintaining freedom of navigation for vessels transiting to non-Iranian ports, as shipping data showed oil tankers beginning to avoid crossing the strait amid an almost complete halt in navigation.

 

Economically, the blockade threatens to remove around two million barrels of Iranian oil per day from global markets, at a time when Iran was exporting more than 1.8 million barrels per day in March, raising concerns about additional supply shortages and rising prices.

Tags
Iran ، Strait of Hormuz ، Donald Trump ، Emmanuel Macron ، Europe