The Strait of Hormuz Showdown
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What prompted the U.S. military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz?
This morning, the United States imposed a blockade on Iran's ports, including those in the Persian Gulf. Our colleague Vera Bergengruen has been following the developments.
We saw the president threaten this massive blockade. He said the U.S. military will now basically be stopping ships and chasing them down.
According to a senior official, more than 15 U.S. warships are positioned near the Strait of Hormuz, including an aircraft carrier, an amphibious assault ship, and multiple destroyers. Their goal? To prevent ships from leaving major Iranian ports. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy said that any approach by military vessels toward the strait would be treated as a violation of the ceasefire, according to a state-linked media outlet.
How is the U.S. military preparing for the blockade?
What does this mean for the ceasefire that started last week? Will it hold?
That's a great question. As of now, it is holding. But again, I mean, what the president is threatening here is that in the course of instituting this blockade, there may also be some limited strikes, as some officials told us yesterday. So if there's Iranian assets on either side of the shore... targeting them, then they might take them out. In that case, the ceasefire would definitely be considered to be broken. We're in a weird position where technically both sides could accuse each other credibly of violating the ceasefire, but they don't seem eager to resume the fighting.
What does this moment tell us about the next phase of the war, potentially?
What implications does the blockade have for the ceasefire with Iran?
I think what it tells us is that this has become very centered on the global economy, on the straight. When you remember how the war started, where Trump basically said Iranians take to the streets, he made it sound like it was about regime change. And now we're in this extended back and forth about this critical waterway. All of these countries around the world are having to really deal with economic consequences. I think what that tells us is that we're now in this potentially prolonged, protracted conflict that isn't just military, it's economic. And it's something that, in our reporting, everyone around Trump basically warned him might happen. I just don't think they thought that would still be there.
Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Jessica Mendoza. It's Monday, April 13th.
Coming up on the show, the showdown at the Strait of Hormuz.
Last week was a potential turning point for the war in Iran. After dramatic threats from Trump, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire with the goal of negotiating long-term peace. On Saturday, both sides met for talks. Vice President J.D. Vance led U.S. negotiators to a meeting in Pakistan with high-level officials from Iran. What were each country's goals kind of going in?
So we've seen both sides talk past each other for the last couple of weeks when they've attempted to do some kind of peace negotiation.
What are the goals of both the U.S. and Iran in the negotiations?
The U.S. has very maximalist demands. They are going in and they're saying, we want you to not pursue nuclear weapons. We want you to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in unrestricted terms. We want you to curb all of your behavior in the region. So the U.S. is coming in with really major demands. Iran wants sanctions to be lifted and, you know, they just basically want an end to the hostilities. But they're both coming there and neither side appears to think they have lost. And so the United States seems to think they have the upper hand on Iran. Iran seems to think that they have very critical leverage over the United States because of their control of this waterway. So they're both there kind of not willing to be, you know, out leveraged, I guess.
Right. I mean, both sides last week had essentially declared victory. Right. Another really important thing to set the scene, I think, is that President Trump repeatedly said, we don't really need a deal.
Oh, I don't know. I don't care if they come back or not.
And going in, he's telling reporters, I don't care. They can make a deal.
How does the blockade aim to impact Iran's economy?
They can't. We've already won.
If they don't come back, I'm fine. Their military is gone.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What prompted the U.S. military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz?
0:05–0:52
2
How is the U.S. military preparing for the blockade?
0:52–1:37
3
What implications does the blockade have for the ceasefire with Iran?
1:37–3:23
4
What are the goals of both the U.S. and Iran in the negotiations?
3:23–4:25
5
How does the blockade aim to impact Iran's economy?
4:25–5:49
6
What logistical challenges does the U.S. face in enforcing the blockade?
5:49–7:33
7
How has Iran responded to the U.S. blockade announcement?
7:33–8:46
8
What potential effects could the blockade have on the global economy?
8:46–15:52