Donald Trump declared he does not care whether Iran returns to talks after the failed deal in Islamabad, while the US military prepares to begin a blockade of Iranian ports on 13 April 2026 but will still allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
On 13 April 2026, tensions between the US and Iran escalated again as US President Donald Trump stated he "does not care" if Iran returns to negotiations with the US after talks in Islamabad, Pakistan failed to reach an agreement.
Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after returning from Florida, “I don't care if they come back or not. If they don't, that's fine with me.”
Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the US military will begin operations to blockade all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports starting 13 April at 10:00 a.m. US time, or 9:00 p.m. Thai time.
Trump said this measure will cover vessels of all nationalities entering and exiting ports, as well as coastal areas in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, to increase pressure on the Tehran government after the lengthy peace talks failed. However, the US military confirmed it will not obstruct ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to other countries, keeping international navigation open.
At the same time, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) affirmed that the Strait of Hormuz remains fully under Iran's control and continues to allow commercial ships to pass normally. The IRGC warned that any military ship approaching the Strait will be considered a violation of the ceasefire agreement and will face strong retaliation.
Source: Aljazeera CNN