US-Iran war news live: Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike targeting an area in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on April 12, 2026.
US-Iran war live: The United States has announced sweeping maritime strikes against Iran after ceasefire talks failed in Islamabad. President Donald Trump said the US Navy will swiftly begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz after high-level talks with Iran in Islamabad ended without an agreement.
Earlier in the day, the United States and Iran ended 21 hours of face-to-face talks without reaching any agreement, leaving the future of the fragile, two-week ceasefire uncertain. US Central Command said it would block all Iranian ports starting Monday at 10 a.m. EDT (5:30 p.m. in Iran).
CENTCOM said the blockade “will be enforced impartially against ships of all nations.” However, it added that ships traveling between non-Iranian ports would still be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
A US official said the move was intended to demonstrate the extent of Iran’s leverage as talks stall. The war, now in its seventh week, has already taken thousands of lives and disrupted global markets.
Shipping halts in the Strait of Hormuz
Shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz appeared to be immediately affected. Lloyd’s List Intelligence wrote on Sunday that “all traffic” through the strait stopped following Trump’s announcement on Truth Social. According to news agency AP report, two ships sailing through the strait reportedly turned back.
This comes as limited traffic has just resumed after an earlier pause in hostilities.
Tehran navy claims control over Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy said it has “complete control” over the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any military vessel approaching the waterway would be met with a “strong and forceful response.”
Tehran said the strait is open to non-military vessels.
Iran accuses America of derailing talks
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had negotiated in “good faith” and was close to an agreement. “When inches away from the ‘Islamabad MOU’, we faced extremism, shifting goalposts and a blockade,” he wrote.
He said, “Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation at the Pakistan talks, rejected Trump’s threats and said they would have no impact on the Iranian people.
Qalibaf described the talks as “intensive, serious and challenging” and said Iran “took strong initiatives to demonstrate Iran’s goodwill, which led to progress”, although he did not elaborate.
America has set strict red lines
The AP report said that according to an unnamed US official, Vice President JD Vance used the talks to outline Washington’s non-negotiables and possible areas of agreement.
The main objective is to ensure that Iran can never obtain nuclear weapons. Additional red lines include ending uranium enrichment, dismantling key facilities, allowing the recovery of highly enriched uranium, stopping funding to Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, and ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
However, Iran could not agree to all these conditions.
Britain’s role unclear amid minesweeper claims
Trump also said the United Kingdom would send minesweepers to the region, although Britain’s Defense Ministry did not immediately confirm the claim.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had previously discussed coordinating international efforts to clear mines from the strait once the conflict subsides, including meetings with dozens of countries.
A follow-up meeting on restoring free movement in the shipping lanes is expected to take place later this week.
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Earlier in the day, the United States and Iran ended 21 hours of face-to-face talks without reaching any agreement, leaving the future of the fragile, two-week ceasefire uncertain. US Central Command said it would block all Iranian ports starting Monday at 10 a.m. EDT (5:30 p.m. in Iran).
CENTCOM said the blockade “will be enforced impartially against ships of all nations.” However, it added that ships traveling between non-Iranian ports would still be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
A US official said the move was intended to demonstrate the extent of Iran’s leverage as talks stall. The war, now in its seventh week, has already taken thousands of lives and disrupted global markets.
Shipping halts in the Strait of Hormuz
Shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz appeared to be immediately affected. Lloyd’s List Intelligence wrote on Sunday that “all traffic” through the strait stopped following Trump’s announcement on Truth Social. According to news agency AP report, two ships sailing through the strait reportedly turned back.
This comes as limited traffic has just resumed after an earlier pause in hostilities.
Tehran navy claims control over Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy said it has “complete control” over the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any military vessel approaching the waterway would be met with a “strong and forceful response.”
Tehran said the strait is open to non-military vessels.
Iran accuses America of derailing talks
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had negotiated in “good faith” and was close to an agreement. “When inches away from the ‘Islamabad MOU’, we faced extremism, shifting goalposts and a blockade,” he wrote.
He said, “Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation at the Pakistan talks, rejected Trump’s threats and said they would have no impact on the Iranian people.
Qalibaf described the talks as “intensive, serious and challenging” and said Iran “took strong initiatives to demonstrate Iran’s goodwill, which led to progress”, although he did not elaborate.
America has set strict red lines
The AP report said that according to an unnamed US official, Vice President JD Vance used the talks to outline Washington’s non-negotiables and possible areas of agreement.
The main objective is to ensure that Iran can never obtain nuclear weapons. Additional red lines include ending uranium enrichment, dismantling key facilities, allowing the recovery of highly enriched uranium, stopping funding to Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, and ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
However, Iran could not agree to all these conditions.
Britain’s role unclear amid minesweeper claims
Trump also said the United Kingdom would send minesweepers to the region, although Britain’s Defense Ministry did not immediately confirm the claim.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had previously discussed coordinating international efforts to clear mines from the strait once the conflict subsides, including meetings with dozens of countries.
A follow-up meeting on restoring free movement in the shipping lanes is expected to take place later this week.
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April 13, 2026 7:22:50 am First
US-Iran war live updates: Oil prices rise above $100 as US prepares for Hormuz blockade
US-Iran war live updates: Oil prices rose sharply on Monday, with Brent crude climbing above $100 a barrel, following reports that the US Navy is preparing to intercept ships reaching Iran through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures rose $6.71, or 7.05%, to $101.91 a barrel by 0104 GMT, after closing 0.75% lower in the previous session, Reuters reported.
The move comes after the failure of US-Iran talks in Pakistan, which ended without any agreement to end the ongoing conflict.
April 13, 2026 7:18:10 am First
US-Iran war live updates: Trump says he doesn’t care if Iran returns to talks
US-Iran war live updates: US President Donald Trump has said he is indifferent whether Iran returns to talks with Washington after talks in Pakistan failed.
“I don’t care whether they come back or not. If they don’t come back, I’m OK,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland upon his return from Florida, reported news agency AFP.
His comments come as diplomatic efforts between the two sides remain stalled after marathon discussions in Islamabad ended without any agreement.
April 13, 2026 7:15:43 am First
US-Iran war live updates: Trump criticizes Pope Leo over Iran stance
US-Iran war live updates: US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo, accusing him of being “weak on Iran” and questioning his stances on foreign policy and nuclear weapons.
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have nuclear weapons,” Trump wrote in a lengthy post on TruthSocial.
He further described the Pope as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”, while also criticizing comments that referred to his administration’s “fears”.
Trump also said that the Pope should “focus on being a great Pope, not a politician”, arguing that the Catholic Church was being harmed by political interferences.
April 13, 2026 6:59:04 am First
US-Iran war live updates: Report says US intel says China may supply air defense systems to Iran
US-Iran war live updates: According to media reports, the latest intelligence assessment by the United States suggests that China may be preparing to increase Iran’s air defense capabilities in the coming weeks.
NBC News, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that Beijing may soon supply new air defense weapons to Tehran. This development was first reported by CNN on Saturday.
April 13, 2026 6:58:10 am First
US-Iran war live: Tehran’s president says deal possible if Washington ‘respects Iranians’ rights’
US-Iran war LIVE: Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has hinted that a deal with the United States is still possible after talks in Islamabad failed without an agreement.
“If the U.S. government abandons its authoritarianism and respects the rights of the Iranian nation, ways to reach an agreement will certainly be found,” Pezeshkian wrote on X.
His comments come after marathon talks between Washington and Tehran ended without any breakthrough, despite earlier hopes that the talks could lay the groundwork for de-escalation.
