The United States military commenced a naval blockade of Iran at 14:00 GMT on Monday, marking a major escalation in the 46-day war. The Trump administration aims to cripple the Iranian economy to force Tehran into accepting its terms for ending the conflict. Iranian armed forces have condemned the move, labeling it “an illegal act” that “amounts to piracy.”
Analysts warn that the blockade could inflict severe damage on Iran’s economy, which relies heavily on oil and gas exports. Tehran previously attempted to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz—the world’s most vital energy chokepoint—shortly after the war began on February 28. Prior to this blockade, Iran had restricted access to the strait to only a few nations that secured individual deals with the government.
The blockade follows a week of intense, albeit unsuccessful, diplomatic efforts in Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted United States Vice President JD Vance on April 11 for the highest-level direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. However, the American delegation departed Pakistan on April 12 without reaching a deal.
Geopolitical balancing act in Islamabad
Pakistan is currently navigating a complex web of security commitments. While Islamabad attempted to mediate the US-Iran conflict, it simultaneously honored its defense obligations to Saudi Arabia. On April 11, the Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed the arrival of a Pakistani military force at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the kingdom's Eastern Province.
This deployment occurs under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) signed between Riyadh and Islamabad last year. The presence of Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia complicates the regional optics as the war continues to escalate. Despite a brief ceasefire earlier in the week that offered some relief to Iranian civilians, the economic outlook remains grim as the US naval presence tightens its grip on the region.