US to blockade ships from Iranian ports, Trump claims ceasefire 'holding well'

• Strait blockade: The US military said will enforce a blockade on all traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz from 10 a.m. ET today, after weekend peace talks in Pakistan faltered. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has vowed to retaliate,

• Markets roiled: Oil prices have again topped $100 a barrel and Asian markets fell as the collapsed talks and imminent blockade threatened to further disrupt the global economy.

• Pope criticism: Meanwhile, President Donald Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV , denouncing his stance on the Iran war and foreign policy. Leo, the first American pope, has become increasingly vocal the conflict, and has previously condemned Trump’s rhetoric.

Iran’s major ports are in the Persian Gulf, though it also has one in the Gulf of Oman – outside the Strait of Hormuz.

All will be subject to a US blockade due to begin later Monday, with US Central Command saying the blockade will be enforced “against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas.”

The main port is Bandar Abbas, at the mouth of the Gulf. It handles a huge amount of freight as well as minerals such as chrome and petroleum products, and steel.

According to shipping industry data, Bandar Abbas handles 37 million tons of cargo every year, and a million containers. Food, fertilizer, grain and construction equipment is also traded through Bandar Abbas. As of Monday, dozens of ships with their transponders active were at anchor off the port.

At the northern end of the Gulf, Bandar Imam Khomeini is Iran’s most modern port, with new berths opened recently. It handles a variety of cargoes including the export of petrochemicals and is also a rail hub. According to shipping industry data, it handles more than 16 million tons of cargo annually.

Most of Iran’s oil production is exported through an offshore terminal at Kharg Island, which has more than 50 storage tanks. The United States has carried out extensive strikes on the island’s military posts in the last month, but not its oil infrastructure.

Smaller ports on Iran’s Gulf coast include Bushehr and Assaluyeh.

Outside the Gulf, Iran’s only ocean port is Chabahar, which handles grains, fertilisers and containers. Approximately 1.4 million tons of cargo pass through Chabahar every year, and it handles some 1,600 vessels annually. India has invested in expanding the port to access central Asian trade markets.

Iran has three ports on the Caspian Sea not affected by the US blockade.

The head of the Iranian delegation that met US Vice President JD Vance over the weekend has said Americans will soon be nostalgic for the era of $4 gasoline.

“Enjoy the current pump figures,” parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X on Monday.

“With the so-called ‘blockade’, Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas,” he added.

Ghalibaf attached a screen shot of pump prices in Washington DC with the term “gas station near White House.”

He also included a mathematical equation suggesting the price increase would be a compound, non-linear surge.

The US national average pump price for regular gasoline is $4.12 per gallon as of April 12, 2026, according to the American Automobile Association.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned today that “no port in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be safe” if its own ports are threatened, Iranian state media said ahead of a proposed US blockade.

The US military said Sunday it will enforce a blockade on all traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz from 10 a.m. ET Monday after the weekend’s failed negotiations in Pakistan.

The spokesperson framed the US move as “illegal” and an example of “maritime piracy.” As Iran has repeatedly stressed since the war with the United States and Israel began, “vessels affiliated with the enemy have no right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” ISNA quoted the spokesperson as saying.

In the Vatican’s first response to President Donald Trump’s stinging criticism of Pope Leo XIV, a Vatican official said the US leader was taking aim at “a moral voice” because he “cannot contain it.”

Leo, the first American pope, has become increasingly vocal the US and Israel’s war with Iran, last week condemning Trump’s rhetoric and threats against the people of Iran as “truly unacceptable.”

Speaking to reporters Sunday evening, Trump said he was “not a fan of Pope Leo,” as the pontiff prepared to embark on a 10-day tour of four African countries.

“We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. … He’s a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.”

CNN’s Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb, who is traveling with Pope Leo, said he “can’t remember the last time the president of the United States attacked a pope in this way.”

Lamb said that Pope Leo is “something of a spiritual and diplomatic counterweight to President Trump,” noting that his “style of leadership, his priorities are in contrast to the US President.”

Pope Leo is to become the first pope to visit Algeria, a Muslim majority country, before heading to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

“The contrast between an American pope in Algeria, (a) Muslim country, at a time when the US has been engaged in a military operation in Iran, is a stark contrast,” Lamb said.

Lamb said the pontiff’s remarks the war are “cutting through to the US.”

“And obviously President Trump has responded in a very strong, unprecedented way,” Lamb said.

As President Donald Trump threatens to blockade the Strait of Hormuz , Taiwan is confronting how quickly life on the island would change if Beijing followed through on its own repeated threats to blockade the island .

The global energy shock has exposed just how vulnerable this self-governing democracy is, because of its reliance on foreign fuels. Taiwan imports 97 percent of its energy, powering 23 million people and the semiconductor industry that produces around 90% of the world’s most advanced chips. Natural gas, which underpins the power grid, is stored in quantities that last just over 11 days.

The fuel that powers Taiwan arrives by ship, much of it from the Middle East, into a small number of ports along the island’s west coast.

The art of the blockade: China has spent years preparing to apply pressure on Taiwan, which it plans to “reunify” with , despite never having controlled it.

In recent military exercises , the People’s Liberation Army has simulated blockades of ports and sea lanes, focusing on restricting access rather than launching a full invasion. The Pentagon assesses that China now has the world’s largest navy, capable of sustaining operations over time.

At the same time, Beijing continues to frame Taiwan as an internal matter, while broadly condemning US actions around Iran and Venezuela. Analysts say those two recent US military campaigns could give China a clearer argument to justify its own potential future actions, presenting a blockade as a ‘law enforcement operation.’

For Taiwan, a sustained disruption due to a blockade would likely begin with power restrictions on things like air conditioning, elevators and escalators, street lighting, and reduced business hours. If disruptions continued, rotating power cuts like outages Taiwan has already experienced would become more widespread. Trains could face delays. Water supply could become less reliable in some areas, as pumping systems depend on electricity.

Taiwan’s semiconductor plants would likely be prioritized but could also come under pressure. They require uninterrupted power to avoid costly shutdowns.

Taiwan’s government is reconsidering nuclear power , reviewing plans to restart idle reactors to stabilize energy supply. But any restart would likely take years rather than months, requiring safety checks, regulatory approval and new fuel supplies.

Talks between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats are due to take place this week . Meanwhile, deadly Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon continued, Lebanese media said.

Lebanese health authorities say at least 2,055 people have been killed, with more than 6,500 wounded.

What happened on the ground over the weekend:

There has been growing international criticism of Israel’s strikes amid fears its operations could upend the fragile ceasefire. France became the latest power to add its voice, saying Lebanon “has to be included” in the ceasefire deal.

The United States and Israel have said Lebanon is not part of the two-week ceasefire deal reached last Tuesday, counter to the views of Iran and Pakistan.

CNN’s Laura Sharman, Tal Shalev, Oren Liebermann, Max Saltman and Tamara Qiblawi contributed reporting.

US President Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Sunday night the state of the ceasefire with Iran.

On the truce: The temporary two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is “holding well” following the weekend’s failed negotiations in Pakistan, said the president. “Their military is destroyed. Their whole navy is under water,” he added, talking Iran.

On Pope Leo : Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV, denouncing his stance on the Iran war. “We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. … He’s a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world,” he told reporters. Leo has become increasingly vocal the war, last week condemning Trump’s rhetoric and threats against the people of Iran as “truly unacceptable.”

On US airmen rescued from downed F-15: “They are in very good shape, and we’re very proud of them,” he said. The airmen were rescued after their F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down on April 3. While the pilot was found quickly, the other crew member was rescued after spending more than a day hiding inside Iran.

US President Donald Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway already closed off by Iran since the outbreak of the war, is likely causing deep unease thousands of miles away in India.

The nation of 1.4 billion is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil and gas, and any further disruption to this supply chain threatens to trigger an energy crisis and stall its rapidly growing economy.

India was also one of the few nations granted safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, offering New Delhi some respite from the energy shortages triggered by Iran’s blockade of the waterway.

Just on Saturday, an India-flagged LPG vessel safely crossed the strait, the government said in a statement, bringing the total number of ships that have crossed to nine.

If Trump follows through on this blockade threat, that could close off even this trickle.

Feeling the crunch: To preserve dwindling gas supplies, New Delhi was forced to prioritize households over the commercial sector, leaving some restaurants on the brink of shuttering and slashing industrial profits for some companies reliant on natural gas.

Surging domestic energy prices have strained millions, particularly those in low-income communities.

The war in Iran is rippling far beyond the Gulf. In India, fears of cooking gas shortages are fueling protests and panic-buying of alternatives like induction stoves. With much of India’s LPG imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz, households and restaurants are scrambling as the government works to secure supply through diplomatic talks. CNN’s Hanako Montgomery reports.

In major cities like Mumbai and Delhi, many migrant workers have been forced to return to their villages, no longer able to afford food and cooking gas cylinders.

India has denied paying for passage through the strait, but Trump’s latest threat raises questions what could happen to the diplomatic agreement between New Delhi and Tehran.

India still has more than a dozen ships waiting to exit the Persian Gulf, and a US blockade could leave these vessels marooned, dragging India deeper into the geopolitical crossfire.

Equity markets in Asia declined Monday morning, after peace talks between the US and Iran failed to remove the stranglehold Iran’s military has on the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, President Donald Trump threatened his own blockade.

As of 11:10 a.m. local time, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was down 1.3%. China’s Shanghai Composite declined 0.2%, and Japan’s benchmark index Nikkei 225 fell 1%. South Korea’s Kospi also fell 1.2%.

Meanwhile, oil prices are rising again in anticipation of continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s crude flows. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures surged 8.6% to $104.89 a barrel, and Brent crude, the global benchmark, gained 7.3% to $102.15 a barrel.

The ceasefire announced last week ignited hopes that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz could start returning to normal levels, after more than a month of interrupted oil and natural gas flows. Trump has said the two-week ceasefire is “holding well” despite the lack of a resolution from the weekend talks in Islamabad.

Even if the strait reopened imminently, economists have warned that it will take months for energy trade to reach normal levels again. But the supply shock for crude oil, natural gas and other commodities is already rippling across Asia and being felt as far as farmlands in the US.

Last week, the Asian Development Bank predicted that growth in the Asia Pacific region would slow to 5.1% in 2026 and 2027, due to the conflict in the Middle East and trade uncertainty. The organization forecast that regional inflation would rise 3.6% in 2026, up from 3% last year.

“A prolonged conflict in the Middle East is the single biggest risk to the region’s outlook, as it could lead to persistently high energy and food prices and tighter financial conditions,” said ADB Chief Economist Albert Park in a release accompanying the report.

President Donald Trump said the US Navy will begin blockading Iranian port traffic and interdicting every ship that has paid a toll to Tehran, after peace talks between both countries faltered over the weekend.

Why a US blockade: The Strait of Hormuz isn’t technically closed. Iran has been gradually allowing some tankers through and charging a toll reportedly of up to $2 million per ship. With the blockade, Trump could cut off a key source of financing for Iran’s government and military operations.

When it’s happening : US Central Command said it will begin enforcing the maritime blockade on all traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting at 10 a.m. ET Monday.

Who’s involved: When Trump announced plans for the blockade on Truth Social, he said, “Other Countries will be involved.” It’s not clear which countries he was referring to. The UK said it is trying to bring together a “wide coalition” with France and others to ensure passage through the waterway. CNN understands that the UK will not participate in a blockade. Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it hasn’t been asked to help with the blockade.

Iran’s warning: Iran’s revolutionary guards (IRGC) warned that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz “will be dealt with harshly and decisively,” according to state-affiliated Fars News. The IRGC also said the strait remains open to civilian vessels for “harmless passage,” provided they comply with relevant regulations, reported Fars.

CNN’s David Goldman, Hanna Ziady, Tim Lister, Aileen Graef, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Issy Ronald, Max Saltman, Riane Lumer and Hilary Whiteman contributed reporting.

Marathon negotiations in Pakistan between US and Iran over the weekend to end the war faltered after 21 hours as key sticking points remained.

Each side has given a very different picture of what went down.

Here’s what they have said after the talks collapsed:

President Donald Trump described the negotiations as “very friendly” and said the US received “just every point we needed.” But the peace effort ultimately faltered after Iran could not commit to giving up its nuclear ambitions, the president said. He also predicted that Tehran would return to the negotiating table while warning that he could take out Iran in “in one day.”

Vice President JD Vance announced that no agreement was reached with Iran. He added that Iranian negotiators refused to accept US terms for a deal, which he insisted had been “quite flexible,” and that Iran did not commit to forgo building a nuclear weapon.

The White House spelled out the “red lines” it says Iran wasn’t able to agree to. Many are conditions Iran has previously rejected.

The US failed to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation at the talks, according to the leader of the Iranian negotiators, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

In a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, President Masoud Pezeshkian said “the biggest obstacle to reaching a fair agreement as the double standards and hegemonic approach of the American side,” according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the negotiations as the most intensive engagement between the two countries in 47 years. He said discussions had progressed to the brink of a potential memorandum of understanding, but “we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade.”

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan will continue to mediate between Iran and the US. He added that he and army chief Asim Munir helped mediate several rounds of “intense and constructive negotiations between the two sides.”

CNN’s Michael Williams, Julia Benbrook, Jennifer Hansler, Kevin Liptak, Laura Sharman, Tim Lister, Aida Karimi and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed reporting.

President Donald Trump announced the US Navy will blockade the Strait of Hormuz after marathon negotiations with Iran ended without a deal. The US military has subsequently said the blockade will target ships coming in and out of Iranian ports starting on Monday, 10 a.m. ET.

The latest threats look set to put Iran and the US back on a collision course following the announcement of their ceasefire and compound further misery for the global economy amid a historic oil and gas crunch.

If you’re just joining us, catch up on the developments over the weekend:

CNN’s Laura Sharman, Lex Harvey, Betsy Klein, Sophia Saifi, Sophie Tanno, Issy Ronald, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Kevin Liptak, Tim Lister, Aida Karimi, Riane Lumer, Catherine Nicholls and Auzinea Bacon contributed reporting.

President Donald Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV on Sunday evening, denouncing his stance on the Iran war and saying he’s “terrible for foreign policy.”

President Donald Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV for his stance on the Iran war. The first American pope has become increasingly vocal the war in Iran and condemned Trump's recent threats against the people of Iran as "truly unacceptable."

Leo, the first American pope, has become increasingly vocal the US and Israel’s war with Iran, last week condemning Trump’s rhetoric and threats against the people of Iran as “truly unacceptable.”

The president’s remarks to reporters at Joint Base Andrews came shortly after he posted a lengthy critique of the pope on Truth Social .

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote, going on to say he doesn’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon or who thinks it’s “terrible that America attacked Venezuela.”

“And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States,” he added.

The president went on to claim Leo “wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”

Read the full story here.

The White House on Sunday spelled out the “red lines” it says Iran wasn’t able to agree to during marathon talks in Pakistan this weekend.

Many are conditions Iran has previously rejected, as Tehran appears to maintain its hardline stance even after six weeks of war.

According to a White House official, the nonnegotiable parameters President Donald Trump set for Iran include:

As JD Vance was departing Islamabad this weekend, the vice president said he placed a “best and final” offer on the table, suggesting there was still time for Iran to accept the US conditions.

And while the talks were tough at moments, the meetings were not entirely acrimonious. The two sides developed a measure of respect for each other after spending hours behind closed doors, according to Trump and other people familiar with the talks.

Still, given Iranian resistance to a number of the US demands, it wasn’t clear Tehran would submit to Trump’s terms anytime soon. With the strait still effectively closed, Iran believes it enjoys substantial leverage over the US, a position that was clear to negotiators this weekend.

Trump and Vance hold a different view: that after weeks of war, Iran is badly weakened and would be wise to accept their demands, despite reluctance. Trump’s announcement of a US naval blockade in the strait is another pressure tactic meant to drive that point .