Washington Announces Start Date for Iran Ports Blockade and Details

SadaNews - The U.S. Central Command "CENTCOM" announced on Monday that it will begin enforcing a ban on maritime traffic entering or exiting Iranian ports.

CENTCOM stated in a press release that the implementation of the ban will start on Monday, April 13, at 10 AM Eastern Time, in accordance with the announcement made by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The statement added: "This ban will be applied neutrally to ships of all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports, and U.S. Central Command forces will not obstruct the freedom of navigation for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz en route to and from non-Iranian ports."

The statement continued: "Commercial vessel crews will receive additional information through an official notification before the ban takes effect."

The statement concluded by advising all mariners to follow (mariner notifications) and to communicate with U.S. naval forces via the direct contact channel with the (Command Towers) number 16, when operating in the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump stated on Sunday that the U.S. Navy will begin enforcing a blockade on Iran by controlling the entry and exit of ships from the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Effective immediately, the U.S. Navy, the best in the world, will begin the process of enforcing a blockade on any and all ships attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz. At some point, we will reach a position allowing everyone to enter and everyone to leave, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying: there may be mines somewhere, known only to them."

Trump emphasized that: "This is global extortion, and the leaders of countries, especially the United States, will never submit to extortion. I have also instructed the Navy to search for any ship in international waters and intercept it if it has paid transit fees to Iran. No party that pays illegal fees will have safe passage on the high seas."

Trump also confirmed: "We will begin destroying the mines planted by Iran in the strait. Any Iranian who shoots at us or at peaceful ships will be completely destroyed."

Trump explained: "The blockade will begin soon, and other countries will participate in it. Iran will not be allowed to benefit from this unlawful act of extortion. They want money, and more importantly, they want nuclear weapons."

He stressed that "we are on full alert, and our military forces will finish whatever is left of Iran."

Trump wrote: "Iran has committed to opening the Strait of Hormuz, but has knowingly failed to do so. This has caused anxiety, disruption, and suffering for many people and countries around the world. They claim to have planted mines in the waters, even though their entire naval fleet and most of their mine-laying capabilities have been completely destroyed. Perhaps they did that, but what ship owner would dare to take the risk?".

He regarded that "there is significant damage and a lasting stain on Iran's reputation and what remains of its leaders, but we have moved past all that. As I promised, they must immediately begin the process of opening this international waterway quickly! They are violating all laws."