Trump Officially Blockades Hormuz: Here Are 9 Latest Developments in the US-Iran War
Negotiations over the war between the United States (US) and Iran yielded no results despite being held in Islamabad, Pakistan, over the weekend. Instead, US President Donald Trump has issued his latest threat, blockading the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway controlled by Iran through which 20% of the world’s oil passes.
In his latest statement, Trump said his military began blockading ships leaving Iranian ports on Monday local time, marking a new escalation in the conflict with Tehran.
In a statement at the White House, Trump emphasised that Iran had contacted Washington to reopen negotiations, but he refused to compromise.
“Iran will not have nuclear weapons. We cannot allow a country to threaten the world,” Trump said, quoted by Reuters.
What are the latest developments? Here is a summary from CNBC Indonesia on Tuesday (14/4/2026).
- NATO Will Not Join Hormuz Strait Blockade
Allies within the NATO alliance have refused to participate in the plan to blockade Iranian ports announced by Trump. This rejection could heighten tensions within the alliance amid the six-week conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Several key European countries, such as the UK and France, have stated they will not join the blockade. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his side rejects the move.
“We do not support the blockade. My decision is very clear that no matter the pressure, we will not be dragged into war,” he told the BBC.
As an alternative, NATO countries are preparing an initiative to secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict subsides. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte previously said the alliance could play a role if all 32 members agree to form a joint mission.
French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that his country will hold a conference with the UK and other partners to form a multinational mission. This fully defensive mission differs from the warring parties.
- Hezbollah Urges Lebanon to Cancel Negotiations with Israel
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has urged Lebanon to cancel the planned meeting with Israel in Washington, US. This repeats the group’s rejection of direct negotiations with Israel.
“We call for a historic and heroic stance by cancelling this negotiation meeting,” said Qassem, whose Iran-backed group has been at war with Israel since 2 March, in a televised speech.
Lebanon’s and Israel’s ambassadors to the US are scheduled to meet on Tuesday. Trump is mediating between the two.
- Gloomy Energy Market
April could be a more difficult month than March for the energy market and economy. This was stated by the Head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol.
According to him, during March, the world was still witnessing shipments of cargo loaded before the Middle East crisis. But during April, he stressed, nothing was loaded.
“The longer the disruption lasts, the worse the problem gets,” he told reporters after a meeting at the International Monetary Fund in Washington.
- Trump Claims 34 Ships Passed Through Strait of Hormuz
Trump said that 34 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday. However, this figure has not been confirmed.
“34 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, which is the highest number since this stupid closure began,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network.
- Trump Rejects Apology to Pope Leo
Trump has refused to apologise to the head of the Catholic Church in the Vatican. He said he “does not need to apologise” after criticising Pope Leo XIV’s call to end the conflict in the Middle East.
“Pope Leo said wrong things,” he said.
“He is very much against what I am doing regarding Iran, and you cannot allow Iran to have nuclear weapons,” Trump said.
“The Pope is very weak on crime and other things.”
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo, calling it “unacceptable”.
- Trump Claims Iran Wants to Negotiate Again
Trump said Iranian representatives have called to make a peace deal. This comes after talks in Pakistan ended over the weekend without agreement.
“I can tell you that we have been contacted by the other side. They want to make a deal. Very, very much,” he told reporters outside the Oval Office, without naming which officials had called.
- Israel Attacks 150 Hezbollah Targets
The Israeli military attacked around 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon over 24 hours. This occurred amid preparations for peace talks with Lebanese officials in Washington.
“In the last 24 hours, around 150 targets of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah have been attacked in various areas in southern Lebanon,” the military said, adding that the targets included “military structures, anti-tank missile launch points, and terror command centres”.
- US Threatens to Bomb Attacking Ships Against Iran
Trump said US forces will destroy any Iranian “fast attack boats” that approach the US Navy blockade. The US military itself has been blockading Iranian ports since Monday.
“Warning: If any of these boats approach our BLOCKADE, they will be IMMEDIATELY ELIMINATED,” he said on his Truth Social network, adding that the remainder of the Iranian navy has been “completely decimated”.
“The US military will use the same kill system we use against drug traffickers on ships at sea,” the president said, referring to airstrikes on ships suspected of carrying drugs off the coast of Venezuela.
- Fate of US-Iran Ceasefire
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the ceasefire between the US and Iran is in a “holding” status. According to him, efforts are underway to reach an agreement after the weekend talks failed.
“The ceasefire