US President Trump Says No Talks with Iran; Naval Blockade Remains in Effect

Trump posted on his social platform, explicitly denying any ongoing or scheduled talks with Iran, and emphasized that the naval blockade remains fully effective, with the Strait of Hormuz open and operating normally. This statement follows the tense situation after the breakdown of US-Iran talks in Islamabad.

**Blockade Continues After Talks Collapse**

According to Reuters and other media reports, the direct US-Iran talks held in Islamabad, Pakistan, lasted approximately 21 hours but ultimately failed to reach an agreement on key differences such as the nuclear issue. Trump attributed the failure of the talks to Iran's hardline stance on the nuclear issue. After the talks collapsed, Trump immediately announced a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, and the US Central Command subsequently confirmed that, effective from 10:00 AM Eastern Time on April 13, all maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports would be blocked, covering all Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

**Scope and Implementation of the Blockade**

The US Central Command statement indicates that the blockade targets all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal waters, but will not interfere with the freedom of navigation for ships merely transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. This differs from Trump's earlier statement of a "full blockade of the Strait," with the actual scope of enforcement being more restrained, though it covers Iran's ports along the Gulf of Oman coast. Iran, through semi-official media, stated that the US side's "demands were too high," but emphasized that a single round of talks failing to resolve issues is normal, leaving room for future dialogue.

**Market Reaction and Subsequent Focus**

The blockade news briefly pushed Brent crude above $103 per barrel, and European natural gas prices surged. Trump's latest statement denying the existence of talks means the path to a diplomatic resolution remains unclear in the short term. Market sources indicate that energy traders are closely monitoring the transit conditions in the Strait of Hormuz and the next moves by both the US and Iran, with any escalation potentially further disrupting crude supply expectations.