The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it will begin enforcing a ban on maritime traffic entering or leaving Iranian ports.
In a statement, CENTCOM said the ban will take effect on Monday, April 13, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, in implementation of the announcement issued by US President Donald Trump.
The statement added: "This ban will be applied impartially to vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports, and US Central Command forces will not impede freedom of navigation for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports."
The statement continued: "Commercial vessel crews will be provided with additional information through an official notice before the ban comes into force."
The statement concluded: "All mariners are advised to monitor Notices to Mariners bulletins and to contact US naval forces via the direct communication channel with command towers on Channel 16 while operating in the Gulf of Oman area and the approaches leading to the Strait of Hormuz."
On Sunday, Trump had said that the US Navy would begin imposing a blockade on Iran by controlling the entry and exit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Writing on the Truth Social platform, Trump said: "Effective immediately, the US Navy, the best in the world, will begin the process of imposing a blockade on any and all ships attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz. At some point, we will reach a situation where everyone is allowed in and everyone is allowed out, but Iran has not allowed that to happen simply by saying: there may be mines somewhere, and no one knows about them except them."
Trump stressed that: "This is global extortion, and the leaders of nations, especially the United States, will never submit to extortion. I have also instructed the Navy to search every ship in international waters and intercept it if it has paid transit fees to Iran. No party that pays illegal fees will be granted safe passage on the high seas."
