The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has communicated this Sunday that he has given instructions to the US Navy to initiate a perimeter closure of the Strait of Hormuz, currently under Iran's control, and has warned that it will intercept "in international waters" any vessel that has paid fees to Iran to cross this key enclave for maritime traffic.
"With immediate effect the United States Navy (...) will begin the process to block each and every vessel attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz", Trump indicated in a message disseminated on social media, in his first reaction after the failure of negotiations held this Saturday between the United States and Iran in Islamabad (Pakistan).
Trump has denounced the "global extortion" which, according to him, Iranian authorities exert through control of the strait and has stressed that United States warships "will seek and intercept any ship in international waters that has paid a fee to Iran".
Furthermore, the president has specified that the US Navy will begin demining operations in this strategic maritime route and has issued a harsh warning by assuring that "any Iranian who shoots at us or at peaceful ships will be blown to pieces."