US President Donald Trump escalated his confrontation with Iran on Wednesday, warning Tehran to “get smart soon” and agree to a non-nuclear deal, while simultaneously ordering a long-term naval blockade of Iranian ports. The move comes after Trump abruptly cancelled a second round of peace talks that were due to take place in Islamabad this weekend.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “Iran can't get their act together. They don't know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!” The message was accompanied by an illustration of Trump holding an assault rifle with the caption “No more Mr Nice Guy”.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump confirmed he had ordered his envoys not to travel to Pakistan. “I've told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, 'Nope, you're not making an 18-hour flight to go there.'” He added: “We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you're not going to be making any more 18 hour flights to sit around talking about nothing.”
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been scheduled to fly to Islamabad for what the White House described as an “in-person conversation” aimed at moving the ball forward. However, Iranian state media insisted that direct talks were never on the table. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had just concluded his own diplomatic visit to Islamabad, meeting with Pakistani military chief Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
A first round of negotiations between Iran and the US took place in Pakistan earlier this month but failed to produce a breakthrough. The cancellation of the second round has raised fears of a prolonged conflict, though Trump told Axios that it did not mean a resumption of hostilities, insisting “we have not thought about it yet.”
Naval blockade and economic pressure
According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump told national security officials during a Monday meeting in the White House situation room that both resuming bombing and walking away from the conflict were too risky. Instead, he ordered the US Navy to continue squeezing Iran's key oil exports until Tehran agrees to all of Washington's demands. The goal, the report said, is to force Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for 20 years and accept tight restrictions thereafter.
On 13 April, the US Navy imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, which US Central Command said would apply to “the entirety of the Iranian coastline.” The blockade is already having a severe impact on Iran's economy. Currency-tracking websites Bonbast and AlanChand reported on Wednesday that the rial had plummeted to a record low of around 1.80 million against the US dollar on the black market, compared to 1.70 million when the war started on 28 February.
The crisis has been compounded by Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of hostilities. Normally, one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transits the waterway. Its closure has sent energy prices skyrocketing globally, with the World Bank warning that the conflict could trigger the sharpest energy price spike since 2022. European airlines have already grounded flights as jet fuel costs surge, and the EU is closely monitoring the situation.
In a related development, Qatar has warned Iran against using Doha as a “political punching bag” in the Strait crisis, while Iran has reportedly offered to reopen the waterway if the US lifts its blockade. The European Union, which has been mediating between the two sides, is now facing pressure to take a more active role as the crisis deepens.
Trump's latest move has also drawn attention to the broader geopolitical implications. The UK, a key US ally, has been caught in the middle, with Trump recently telling King Charles III that there are “no closer friends” than the UK amid the Iran war tensions. Meanwhile, the EU has warned Israel that it may sanction those involved in the stolen Ukrainian grain trade, highlighting the interconnected nature of global conflicts.
As the standoff continues, European capitals are watching closely. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the US blockade are already affecting energy supplies and prices across the continent, with no immediate end in sight.
