The US Navy will not impede the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz that have not departed from or are not heading to Iranian ports, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
“CENTCOM forces will not impede the freedom of navigation of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from ports outside Iran“, the statement said.
The US declares that it will not interfere with vessels transiting the strait to or from ports of other countries, such as the UAE, Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, the command announced that its forces will begin a naval blockade of Iran at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (5:00 p.m. Bulgarian time) on April 13.
This blockade will apply to ships of all countries entering or departing from Iranian ports or coastal areas.
On April 12, 2026, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This decision comes after the failure of 21 hours of peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Trump ordered the Navy to intercept and detain ships in international waters that have information that they have paid illegal “fees“ Iran's request for passage through the strait.
The main obstacle in Islamabad was Iran's refusal to commit to a complete cessation of its nuclear program.
US forces begin operations to clear sea mines in the strait, which Washington says were laid by Iran.
US accuses Tehran of “global blackmail“ by blocking shipping and collecting fees.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the strait was open to civilian ships, but warned that any military ship that approached would be treated as a trespasser.
The UK has officially refused to join the blockade, saying it would not send its own ships to block Iranian ports.
The blockade is expected to cause a new spike in global oil and gas prices, as nearly 20% of the world's energy traffic passes through the strait.
Trump has warned that he may impose a 50% tariff on Chinese imports if Beijing provides military aid to Iran.