Iran war: US military to blockade Iranian ports

LiveApril 13, 2026President Donald Trump wants to use the blockade to stop Iran from collecting transit fees and to cut off its oil revenue. Oil prices rose sharply after the announcement. Follow DW for more. https://p.dw.com/p/5C4TJIran has vowed to counter the blockade announced by the US (FILE PHOTO: July 21, 2019)Image: Morteza Akhoondi/AP/picture allianceSkip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to know Donald Trump orders US blockade of Strait of Hormuz after talks fail Ceasefire talks between the US and Iran ended without an agreement Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV after the Catholic leader appealed for peace in the Middle East Here's a round-up of all the latest developments on the US-Israel's war with Iran on April 13, 2026: Skip next section Trump slams Pope Leo XIV over Iran warApril 13, 2026Trump slams Pope Leo XIV over Iran warPope Leo appealed world leaders to restore peace in the Middle EastImage: Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu/picture allianceUS President Donald Trump slammed Pope Leo XIV after the Catholic leader appealed for peace amid the war in the Middle East. The 70-year-old, the first American pontiff, publicly implored leaders on Saturday to end the violence, telling worshippers at St Peter's Basilica: "Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!" Following the speech, Trump said he was unimpressed with the leader of the Catholic Church. "I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo. He's a very liberal person, and he's a man that doesn't believe in stopping crime," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Trump also accused the pontiff of "toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon." Criticizing the pope further on his Truth Social account, Trump said, "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon." "Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," he said. The president added that Leo had only been elected "because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump." "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican." https://p.dw.com/p/5C4TiSkip next section Oil back over $100April 13, 2026 Oil back over $100Oil prices surged in early trading on Monday after President Donald Trump vowed to fully block the strategic Strait of Hormuz. US crude jumped 8% to just over $104 a barrel, while Brent crude rose 7% to above $102. That compared with prices of around $70 a barrel before the war began in late February. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping route for global energy supplies, carrying roughly a fifth of the world's oil. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said oil and gasoline prices could stay high through November's US midterm elections. https://p.dw.com/p/5C4TmSkip next section US military says it will blockade Iranian portsApril 13, 2026US military says it will blockade Iranian portsThe US military announced that it will blockade all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, tempering US President Donald Trump's earlier stance to completely block the strategic Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said the blockade would begin on Monday at 2 p.m. GMT, or 5:30 p.m. in Iran, and would 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." However, ships traveling between non-Iranian ports will be allowed to pass through the strait, scaling back the president's earlier threat to blockade the entire waterway. Trump confirmed the US military's statement on his Truth Social platform. Trump said on Sunday that his goal was to clear the strait of mines and reopen it to all shipping, but that Iran must not be allowed to profit from controlling the waterway. US warships test Hormuz passage as mine risks loomTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Iranian leaders have vowed to counter the blockade. Before the US military's announcement, Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned that they had full control of traffic through Hormuz and would trap any challenger "in a deadly vortex." https://p.dw.com/p/5C4ThSkip next section Welcome to our coveragePublished April 13, 2026last updated April 13, 2026Welcome to our coverageAfter an unsuccessful round of talks over the weekend between Iranian and US delegations in Pakistan, the Trump administration has threatened a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The influential speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the US representatives had been "unable to gain the trust" of Iranian officials. Iranian authorities blamed the US for placing "unreasonable" and "excessive" demands. Meanwhile, Trump has intensified his attacks on Pope Leo XIV over his comments on the war with Iran. Stay tuned as we cover the latest developments in the US-Israel war with Iran. https://p.dw.com/p/5C4TWShow more posts