US President Donald Trump said American warships would begin stopping vessels from leaving or entering Iranian ports on Monday at around 10pm Hong Kong time.

It's part of a wider American move at a counter blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which at least 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas goes through.

Commercial shipping through the strategic waterway had already ground to a halt due to Iranian military and drone actions as part of Tehran's wider defence against US and Israeli air attacks on its territory over the last six weeks.

The US military confirmed that it would blockade all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, effectively seizing control of maritime traffic in the strait.

"The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman," US Central Command said in a post on X, adding the United States would "not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Iranian security forces had full control over the Strait of Hormuz and warned enemies would be trapped in a "deadly vortex" in case of any "wrong move".

Iran's navy chief Shahram Irani called Trump's threat "ridiculous and funny", according to state TV, adding the country's military was "monitoring and supervising all the movements of the aggressive American army in the region" while vowing to counter the blockade.

The move comes after marathon US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement on Sunday, and it set the stage for another showdown. (Agencies)


Edited by Tony Sabine