TEHRAN - President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports in an effort to force Tehran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz has drawn fierce criticism at home and abroad, with many warning it risks igniting a broader regional crisis and destabilizing the global economy.

The blockade began at 14:00 GMT on Monday, and the US military announced it had initiated operations targeting all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports. Trump warned that any ships attempting to break the blockade would be “immediately eliminated.”

The move followed weekend talks in Islamabad between Iran and the United States, which ended without an agreement in the wake of a two-week ceasefire mediated by Pakistan. That ceasefire, announced on April 8, halted the joint US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28. Iran also stopped retaliatory operations against Israel and American bases in the Persian Gulf region.

Shortly after the war began, Iran effectively asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Prior to the conflict, nearly 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies transited through the strait.

After the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect, Tehran confirmed it would allow shipping to pass through the waterway during the two-week truce, helping ease market panic that had sent oil and gas prices soaring.

‘Illegal act of aggression’

Iran has denounced the US move to blockade the country’s ports. Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned the blockade as a flagrant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling it an illegal act of aggression that threatens regional and international peace.

In an official letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the President of the Security Council, Iravani described the naval blockade as “a gross violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any threat to the security of the Strait of Hormuz would have large-scale consequences for global trade. In a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Pezeshkian cautioned that US attempts to block maritime access to Iranian ports would jeopardize not only regional stability but also international commerce.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei sharply criticized Washington’s move in a post on X, asking: “Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy? Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?”

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who led the Islamabad talks, also reacted forcefully. “If they fight, we will fight; if they come with logic, we will deal with logic,” he wrote.
Qalibaf posted a map of Washington-area gasoline prices on social media with the comment: “Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’. Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.”

No transit for enemy vessels  

In a statement issued Monday, Iran’s military warned that any threat to its ports would trigger a broader regional response, declaring that no port in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman would remain secure if Iranian facilities were targeted.

Spokesman for the Armed Forces Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari said security in the two strategic waterways must apply to all or to none. He emphasized that defending national rights, including sovereignty over territorial waters, is a lawful obligation.

“Enemy-affiliated vessels do not and will not have the right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, adding that other vessels would be allowed to transit in accordance with Iranian regulations.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warned earlier that any military vessel attempting to transit the strait would be considered in violation of the ceasefire and would receive a firm and decisive response.

Prior to the ceasefire, Iran had announced that vessels affiliated to the US, Israel and countries involved in the war on Iran would not be permitted to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. But it allowed ships operated by other nations to transit through coordination with Iran. 

International alarm mounts

China voiced opposition to the US naval blockade, warning that it would intensify tensions and undermine an already fragile ceasefire. At a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said expanding military deployments and carrying out blockade operations would escalate contradictions rather than resolve them.

Russia also expressed concern, with officials cautioning that interference with free navigation in international waterways could have unpredictable consequences for global stability.

European diplomatic sources indicated unease as well, stressing the importance of maintaining maritime security and preventing further escalation in a region vital to global energy supplies.

Energy analysts warn that insurance premiums for tankers operating in the area are likely to surge, making global banks increasingly cautious. The tanker market could fragment into separate risk tiers, further complicating energy flows and increasing costs for consumers worldwide.

A risky gamble 

Trump’s blockade decision appears to follow mounting strategic setbacks. The 40-day war failed to achieve its declared objectives of compelling Iran to capitulate or fundamentally altering its regional posture. Instead, Tehran demonstrated its capacity to influence one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints.

The failure of the Islamabad talks further exposed Washington’s inability to translate military pressure into diplomatic gains. Having failed to secure concessions on the battlefield or at the negotiating table, the United States now appears to be escalating economic and maritime pressure in an attempt to regain leverage.

However, such actions risk undermining the already fragile ceasefire and further jeopardizing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. By targeting a corridor through which a fifth of global energy supplies pass, Washington is effectively weaponizing the global economy — a move critics describe as dangerous and irresponsible.

Rather than isolating Iran, the blockade may accelerate global backlash, deepen divisions among major powers, and drive energy-importing nations to seek alternatives to US-dominated financial and security structures.

If the objective is to pressure Tehran into submission, the strategy may prove counterproductive. Iran has shown it is prepared to respond asymmetrically and regionally. Meanwhile, rising fuel prices, surging insurance costs, and financial market volatility could impose tangible costs on American consumers and US allies alike.

In the end, the blockade of Hormuz may come to symbolize not strength, but strategic frustration — a high-risk gamble born out of failure in both war and diplomacy, with consequences that could reverberate far beyond the Persian Gulf.