US warships have effectively blocked Iranian trade through the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
"A blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented, while US forces maintain naval superiority in the Middle East," CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement Tuesday evening.
"In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, US forces have completely stopped economic trade entering and leaving Iran by sea," Cooper added.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing two unidentified US officials, previously reported that more than 20 commercial ships, including tankers, had passed through the strait in the past 24 hours. According to AFP, at least two US-sanctioned ships sailed through Hormuz on Monday: the Iranian-flagged container ship Kashan and the Comoros-flagged tanker Elpis.
The WSJ also reported that the US has seized eight tankers since the blockade began on Monday morning.
US President Donald Trump announced the blockade of the vital waterway on Sunday after Pakistan-brokered talks failed to produce a peace deal with Iran. Trump had previously failed to persuade European NATO members to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had closed to “hostile vessels” in response to a US-Israeli bombing campaign launched on February 28. Since then, Iran has demanded recognition of its “sovereignty” over the waterway and the right to impose tariffs.
On April 8, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, raising optimism about an end to the conflict that has disrupted global trade and driven up energy prices. However, both sides have since accused each other of setting unacceptable terms.
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