Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that it will maintain control over the strategic waterway until the end of the war. A regional intelligence source cited by Fox News said the passage is under the full control of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with several vessels reportedly forced to turn back.

United States President Donald Trump said negotiations are progressing well but warned that Iran cannot 'blackmail us.' He added that while a ceasefire might not be extended, a blockade would remain in place and military action could resume if necessary.

According to The Wall Street Journal, United States officials said the military is preparing to board tankers linked to Iran and seize commercial ships in international waters. Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref insisted that control of the Strait of Hormuz is a legal right and said Iran would assert its position either through negotiations or on the battlefield.

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei also warned that the country’s navy stands ready to deliver further defeats to its enemies, signaling a continued escalation in tensions between the two nations.