US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Washington would “blockade” the Strait of Hormuz after US and Iranian negotiators failed to reach a deal during marathon talks in Pakistan over the weekend.
Trump’s announcement, suggesting the US would police ships that have paid Iran a toll to transit the waterway, threatens to escalate naval activity and further complicate countries’ efforts to get energy from the region.
Control of the strait and the fate of Iran’s nuclear program were two main sticking points in the Pakistan talks.
While officials left the door open for further diplomacy, the breakdown could mean the return of a devastating war.
The US faces a choice, the BBC wrote: “Escalate or negotiate?”