WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the US Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of peace talks with Iran in Pakistan.Trump said he had instructed naval forces to intercept vessels linked to payments to Iran, aiming to cut off what he described as Tehran’s economic leverage.“I have instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in international waters that has paid a toll to Iran,” he said, adding that ships doing so would not have safe passage.The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint, previously carried around 20% of the world’s oil supply.The announcement came after face-to-face talks between US and Iranian delegations in Islamabad ended without an agreement following 21 hours of negotiations.US officials said the talks broke down over Iran’s refusal to commit to abandoning a path to nuclear weapons, while Iranian officials blamed Washington for the failure.Vice President JD Vance said the US required a clear commitment from Tehran.“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon,” he said.On the Iranian side, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said it was up to Washington “to decide whether it can gain our trust.”Neither side indicated what would happen after the two-week ceasefire expires on April 22, with Pakistani mediators urging both parties to maintain it.The war, which began on Feb. 28, has killed thousands and severely disrupted global energy flows, with Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz driving sharp increases in oil prices.
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