Here are details on the planned blockade and its implications for oil markets.<\/p>\n
<\/a>What was announced?<\/h2>\nAfter weekend peace talks<\/a> in Islamabad between negotiators from the US and Iran ended without a deal, US President Donald Trump said the US Navy \u201cwill begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz\u201d.<\/p>\nThe US military\u2019s Central Command (Centcom) later said the blockade would only apply to ships going to or from Iran, including all Iranian ports on the Gulf and Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n
US forces would not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports and additional information would be provided, it said.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards responded to Trump by warning that military vessels approaching the strait would be considered a ceasefire <\/a>breach and dealt with harshly and decisively.<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n <\/a>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
Retired Admiral Gary Roughead, a former chief of US naval operations, cautioned that Iran could fire on ships in the Gulf or attack the infrastructure of Gulf states that host US forces.<\/p>\n
<\/a>What is the implication for oil flows<\/h2>\nBlocking Iranian shipments would disconnect a significant source of oil from the world\u2019s markets.<\/p>\n\n![\"](\"https:\/\/i.dawn.com\/primary\/2026\/04\/131426066d22260.webp\")
<\/div>Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman\u2019s Musandam governance, in United Arab Emirates on March 11, 2026. \u2014 Reuters\/File<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIran exported 1.84m barrels per day (bpd) of crude in March and has shipped 1.71m bpd thus far in April, compared with a full-year average of 1.68m bpd in 2025, according to Kpler data.<\/p>\n
However, a surge in Iranian output before the war started<\/a> on February 28 has led to near-record levels of Iranian oil loaded on ships, with more than 180m barrels floating as of earlier this month, according to Kpler data.<\/p>\n<\/a>What about oil flows from other Gulf producers?<\/h2>\nShipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been severely curtailed<\/a> by an Iranian blockade since the start of the war, remains nearly halted despite last week\u2019s two-week ceasefire agreement<\/a> between Washington and Tehran.<\/p>\nOil tankers were steering clear of the strait on Monday.<\/p>\n
A Liberia-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC), Mombasa B, transited the strait earlier on Sunday and was ballasting in the Gulf.<\/p>\n
Another VLCC, the Malta-flagged Agios Fanourios I, which tried to pass through the strait on Sunday to load Iraqi crude destined for Vietnam, turned back and was anchored near the Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\nOn Saturday, three fully loaded supertankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz in what appeared to be the first vessels<\/a> to exit the Gulf since the US-Iran ceasefire deal.<\/p>\nSome 187 laden tankers carrying 172m barrels of crude oil and refined products were inside the Gulf as of last Tuesday, according to Kpler.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Which importers are most affected?<\/h2>\n
The US military\u2019s Central Command (Centcom) later said the blockade would only apply to ships going to or from Iran, including all Iranian ports on the Gulf and Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n
US forces would not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports and additional information would be provided, it said.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards responded to Trump by warning that military vessels approaching the strait would be considered a ceasefire <\/a>breach and dealt with harshly and decisively.<\/p>\n \n <\/a>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Retired Admiral Gary Roughead, a former chief of US naval operations, cautioned that Iran could fire on ships in the Gulf or attack the infrastructure of Gulf states that host US forces.<\/p>\n Blocking Iranian shipments would disconnect a significant source of oil from the world\u2019s markets.<\/p>\n Iran exported 1.84m barrels per day (bpd) of crude in March and has shipped 1.71m bpd thus far in April, compared with a full-year average of 1.68m bpd in 2025, according to Kpler data.<\/p>\n However, a surge in Iranian output before the war started<\/a> on February 28 has led to near-record levels of Iranian oil loaded on ships, with more than 180m barrels floating as of earlier this month, according to Kpler data.<\/p>\n Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been severely curtailed<\/a> by an Iranian blockade since the start of the war, remains nearly halted despite last week\u2019s two-week ceasefire agreement<\/a> between Washington and Tehran.<\/p>\n Oil tankers were steering clear of the strait on Monday.<\/p>\n A Liberia-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC), Mombasa B, transited the strait earlier on Sunday and was ballasting in the Gulf.<\/p>\n Another VLCC, the Malta-flagged Agios Fanourios I, which tried to pass through the strait on Sunday to load Iraqi crude destined for Vietnam, turned back and was anchored near the Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n On Saturday, three fully loaded supertankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz in what appeared to be the first vessels<\/a> to exit the Gulf since the US-Iran ceasefire deal.<\/p>\n Some 187 laden tankers carrying 172m barrels of crude oil and refined products were inside the Gulf as of last Tuesday, according to Kpler.<\/p>\n<\/a>What is the implication for oil flows<\/h2>\n
<\/div><\/a>What about oil flows from other Gulf producers?<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Which importers are most affected?<\/h2>\n
![\"](\"https:\/\/i.dawn.com\/primary\/2026\/04\/13142332d882d6f.webp\")
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