Iran threatens to block Red Sea if US naval blockade continues

Thursday April 16, 2026

A tense standoff at one of the world’s most vital shipping corridors escalated sharply after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the United States and Iran ended without an agreement, prompting Washington to announce a blockade.

A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province on April 12, 2026. / Reuters

Tehran quickly responded with its own threat, warning that if the US naval blockade persists, Iran could move to choke trade routes through the Red Sea as well as the Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

In a statement broadcast by Iranian state television on Wednesday, the head of Iran’s military central command centre said that if the US continues its blockade and “creates insecurity for Iran’s commercial vessels and oil tankers”, it would amount to “a prelude” to violating the ceasefire.

“The powerful armed forces of the republic will not allow any exports or imports to continue in the Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea,” said Ali Abdollahi.

The warning from Iran’s military came a day after US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had “completely halted” maritime trade to and from Iran.

That announcement followed CENTCOM’s move on Monday to impose a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports.

The command said the restriction was being “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations” traveling into or out of Iranian ports in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

According to reports, US naval forces drew the blockade line between Gwadar Bay and Ras al Hadd, an area that has continued to see heavy vessel traffic since the operation began.

US President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday after talks in Islamabad over the weekend between the US and Iran failed to produce a deal.

“During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the US blockade,” CENTCOM said on X, adding that six vessels followed US instructions and turned back to re-enter an Iranian port.

Ship-tracking data indicated that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has not stopped entirely, but some vessels that had reached the Gulf of Oman a day earlier — the body of water linking the strait to the Arabian Sea — turned around and headed back through the passage.

About 15 ships passed through the strategic waterway in the past 24 hours as of 0900 GMT, including 10 that exited the strait.

Among the vessels that entered the Gulf through the strait were the LPG/chemical tanker Panamian-owned Galaxy Gas, Iranian container vessels Daisy and Rayen, Emirati tanker Oceana Kai, Panamian Serenity IX, Liberian tanker Alica, Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry, Greek crude oil tanker Agios Fanourios, Brazilian bulk carrier Rosalina, and Indian-flagged cargo vessel Al Nazir.

MarineTraffic data on Tuesday also showed that vessels subject to US sanctions passed through the strait.