Iran Says It Will Not 'Surrender Under Threats'
BBC News
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A US blockade of Iran's ports takes effect – Donald Trump said it would begin at 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT / 15:00 BST)
In a social media post, the US president warns that any Iranian "fast attack ships" caught trying to approach the blockade "will be immediately ELIMINATED"
Earlier, Iran's parliament speaker said the country would not "surrender under threats"
Meanwhile, the Pope responds to criticism levelled at him by Trump, saying he has "no intention to debate" the war with the US president – Trump had accused the pontiff of being "terrible for foreign policy"
Weekend peace talks between the US and Iran ended without a deal – Trump says they failed because Iran wouldn't "give up its nuclear ambitions"; Iran's foreign minister blames "shifting goalposts" from the US
Edited by Brandon Livesay and Ben Hatton, with reporting from BBC Persian and teams across the Middle East
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
As we've reported, Donald Trump has threatened to strike forcefully any small Iranian "fast attack ships" that threaten the US blockade.
As Trump alluded to, most of the US strikes focused on Iranian naval targets have been larger vessels and submarines, which were seen as strategically important targets to ensure American military dominance in the Persian Gulf.
But for years – decades even – military experts have warned that smaller, much more difficult to detect Iranian boats could also pose a challenge, potentially operating much more as an asymmetric "swarm" than a larger, conventional naval target.
The US has, however, for months now been striking small boats closer to home, both in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific as the Trump administration moved to stem the flow of illegal drugs passing through the region on their way to lucrative drug markets in the US.
While dozens of these strikes have been conducted, it has been a slow burn, with US Southern Command announcing single strikes as they are conducted. At most, they have amounted to a handful in a single week during busier periods.
Just yesterday, for example, the Pentagon announced two separate strikes in the Pacific, killing five people.
Trump might see this as a model that can be sustained over time to maintain pressure on Iran without a full-fledged return to the combat operations that we saw during earlier in the conflict.
Iranian "attack ships" will be "eliminated" if they approach US naval blockade, Donald Trump says in a new post on Truth Social.
"Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, “fast attack ships,” because we did not consider them much of a threat," Trump writes.
"Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea."
Keir Starmer is delivering a statement on the Middle East in the UK Parliament – to follow along, tap the watch live icon at the top of the page.
It comes shortly after Trump's threatened blockade of Iranian ports came into effect – which the prime minister earlier said the UK was "not supporting".
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says efforts are ongoing to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran.
It comes after negotiations between the two nations – held in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, over the weekend – failed to amount to a deal.
"The ceasefire is still holding and, as I speak, full efforts are under way to resolve the outstanding issues," Sharif tells his cabinet, according to translation by the AFP news agency.
Ships should be prepared to encounter the US blockade, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has warned in a new advisory.
The note to seafarers urges any vessels in the area to "maintain heightened situational awareness" and that more specific guidance is to follow.
The advisory says additional guidance for mariners regarding "how these measures will be applied in practice, including routing, verification and authorised transit producers, are in development".
UKMTO encourages anyone sailing the Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz to expect military presence and possible interception.
"These access restrictions apply without distinction to vessels of any flag engaging with Iranian ports, oil terminals, or coastal facilities," UKMTO said of the threatened blockade.
It adds: "Further clarification is expected to be provided through subsequent advisories as information becomes available."
It's 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT / 15:00 BST).
This is the time US President Donald Trump gave as the deadline for the start of a US imposed naval blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
We'll bring you the latest on this story, and the impact of the blockade, as soon as we have it.
We're minutes away from President Trump's deadline for a naval blockade of Iranian ports. It's unclear exactly what might happen next, but here is what we know:Bernd Debusmann Jr
reporting from the White House
It's a busier than normal morning at the White House ahead of Donald Trump's 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT / 15:00 BST) deadline for a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
On the driveway near the press area, reporters – including many from Middle Eastern media outlets – have been broadcasting since early this morning.
As things stand, we have little expectation of seeing Trump in person or on camera today. His official schedule shows that all his events are closed today, including a dinner this evening with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.
There are many unanswered questions on how the blockade will be implemented, what it will mean going forward and what exactly the Trump administration hopes to achieve.
According to US Central Command, the blockade will be enforced "impartially" against all vessels entering or departing Iran's ports and coastal waterways.
Domestically, the blockade could present something of a challenge for Trump. Oil prices have again surged past $100 a barrel, and prolonged high prices could upset a US electorate that is broadly concerned about high prices and among whom the war in Iran has proven unpopular.
By Barbara Metzler
BBC Verify has been checking satellite imagery to get an idea of which US Navy warships are in the Middle East after President Donald Trump said a blockade of Iran-linked ships would come into effect at 14:00 GMT (15:00 BST) today.
Satellite imagery from Saturday shows the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier positioned at the eastern edge of the Gulf of Oman, roughly 200km (124 miles) to the south of the Iranian coast.
This is the closest to the Gulf that we have observed the nuclear-powered warship since the start of the war.
Two other nearby warships visible in the imagery are consistent in size and shape with US Navy guided-missile destroyers.
They are likely to be part of the Lincoln’s carrier strike group, but we cannot identify exactly which vessels are visible.
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Pope Leo responds to Trump, saying he will continue to 'speak out'
The first American pontiff and the US president have voiced starkly different views on the war in the Middle East.
5 April: In his first Easter blessing, Pope Leo urges "those who have the power to unleash wars" to "choose peace"
7 April: Trump writes on Truth Social that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" if Iran does not open the Strait of Hormuz. Pope Leo later tells journalists: "Today… there was this threat against all the people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable."
11 April: As Iranian and American negotiators gathered for talks to end the war, Pope Leo urges the international community to end "the madness of war"
12 April: Trump criticises the Pope, saying he should "focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician". He accuses the pontiff of being "weak on crime" and "catering to the Radical Left". In a lengthy social media post, Trump says Pope Leo should be "thankful," adding: "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican"
13 April: Pope Leo tells reporters he is "not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel"
By Kayleen Devlin
Since the start of the war on 28 February, BBC Verify has tracked 392 vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz using data provided by maritime intelligence firm MarineTraffic.
Large vessels are fitted with an Automatic Identification System (AIS), which uses GPS to determine and broadcast their location in near real time.
However, there are limitations to what we can say from AIS alone, as ships can switch it off entirely or deliberately obscure their positions to appear like they are elsewhere – a practice known as “spoofing”.
A screenshot from MarineTraffic showing the locations of ships near the Strait of Hormuz
Analysis of satellite imagery can identify the location of ships, but gaps in where satellites cover or the presence of cloud obscuring images mean this is not always possible.
Previous monitoring of the US blockade on Venezuela showed vessels attempting to evade restrictions through spoofing or turning off their AIS. Energy industry experts warn similar tactics are likely already being used in and around the strait.
According to monitoring firm TankerTrackers.com, Iran-linked tankers have previously used spoofing to disguise movements, including making false port calls in neighbouring countries.
“That's just modus operandi when it comes to obfuscating the loadings of Iranian crude oil and refined products. It's been the case since the Trump 1.0 era,” they tell BBC Verify.
More now on the note sent to seafarers from US Central Command (Centcom), which was first reported by Reuters news agency.
In it, Centcom says the blockade encompasses "the entirety of the Iranian coastline", including but "not limited to" Iranian ports and oil terminals.
It adds that humanitarian shipments such as food and medical supplies would be allowed, subject to inspection.
The US military is set to enforce a blockade in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, east of the Strait of Hormuz, and this will apply to all vessel traffic regardless of flag, according to a note sent from US Central Command (Centcom) to seafarers and reported by Reuters news agency.
Centcom warns that vessels "entering or departing the blockaded area without authorization is subject to interception, diversion, and capture", the note says.
The blockade is due to begin at 14:00 GMT (15:00 BST), the note confirms.
It also reportedly states: "The blockade will not impede neutral transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations."
We will bring you more on this as soon as we have it.
Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel supports the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
In a video address to his cabinet, the Israeli prime minister says: "President Trump decided to impose a naval blockade on them. We, of course, support this firm stance."
He also says he spoke with US Vice-President JD Vance on Sunday, after talks with Iran. Vance told Netanyahu "the central issue is the removal of all enriched [nuclear] material and ensuring there is no more enrichment", according to the video address.
Netanyahu says Vance called him from his plane back from Pakistan, and the vice-president gave a detailed update on the progress of the negotiations with Iran.
The Israeli prime minister adds that any suggestion of a disconnect between the US and Israel is "the complete opposite".
Around 20% of the world's oil and liquified natural gas pass through the Strait of Hormuz (file photo)
Looming Iranian ports blockade
The US has threatened to impose a blockade of Iranian ports, set to begin in the next few hours at 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT / 15:00 BST).
US Central Command (Centcom) says the blockade will apply to vessels from all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports – both in Iran and those on the Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
However, the US says it will not stop "freedom of navigation" through the strait "to and from non-Iranian ports".
Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says Iran will not give in to threats, stating: "If they fight, we will fight." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be "dealt with severely".
Pope and Trump
Pope Leo says he has "no intention to debate" US President Donald Trump, telling reporters he is "not a politician" and his message remains the same – "to promote peace".
Over the weekend, Pope Leo urged the international community to end the "madness of war". Trump said the Pope was "terrible for foreign policy".
Strikes between Lebanon and Israel
In Lebanon, the Israeli military continues its offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces says its troops have surrounded the key town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah says it has attacked troops in Israel.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has spoken about the financial impact of the US-Israeli war in Iran.
She says the EU's bill for fossil fuel imports has risen by more than €22bn (£19.1bn) since the war began 44 days ago, without receiving a "single molecule" more.
"We are paying a very high price for our over-dependence on fossil fuels," she says.
Von der Leyen adds that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is of "paramount importance" and that "robust coordination" between EU states is needed.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping route, with around 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passing through it.
China is the largest single recipient of crude oil from the strait, taking 31% of the oil transported. India is next, receiving 14%.
In total, 86% of all oil passing through the strait is delivered to countries in Asia.
But any disruption to this route can affect prices around the world.
Frank Gardner
Security correspondent
A vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, pictured on 12 April
Blockading Iran’s ports means entering even more dangerous territory than the US was in before – legally, militarily and economically. It can be done, but at some risk.
The US Navy’s warships will not be loitering around just outside the harbour walls of say, Bandar Abbas or Jask. That would be to invite immediate attack by drone, missile or "kamikaze" speedboat.
Instead, Centcom, the part of the US military that covers the Middle East, will likely use satellite and other intelligence to ascertain which ships have left Iranian ports and who they belong to. Even with these vessels’ AIS (automatic identification system) transponders switched off, US warships sailing at a relatively safe distance offshore, will have no difficulty in finding them once they emerge into the Gulf of Oman, and interdicting them.
But Iran has called this threat an act of maritime piracy, a charge levelled at itself for constricting the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Republic has threatened in turn to act against neighbouring Gulf Arab ports.
Then there is the question of Iran’s allies: China and Russia. Will the US be prepared, say, to board and impound a Chinese-owned vessel or cargo? And what happens if China, which has a military base not far away in Djibouti, decides it will offer its ships an armed naval escort?
Spain's Defence Minister Margarita Robles says the US proposal to blockade Iranian ports "makes no sense"
Several countries are responding to US President Donald Trump's threat to blockade Iranian ports.
Spain's Defence Minister Margarita Robles has used some of the strongest language so far, saying the proposal "makes no sense".
China is urging calm and restraint, adding that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is in the common interest of the international community.
Asean – a group of 11 Southeast Asian nations, many of which rely on the Middle East for energy – has called for "full and effective implementation of the ceasefire… ensuring maritime security and freedom of navigation and overflight".
Meanwhile, France's Macron says France and the UK will organise a conference "aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait" in the "coming days".
As we've reported, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK is "not supporting a blockade".
Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent
The door to diplomacy has not been shut, even though the US Vice-President JD Vance boarded a plane saying he had made the US's "final and best" offer.
Since then, President Trump has said the meetings “went well”, even that some points were agreed. And although the atmosphere is not the defining issue, it makes a difference in diplomacy.
We're hearing now from people who were in the room that discussions which began with maximalist demands became productive, even, as Trump put it, "friendly".
Now that Tehran's political taboo of meeting face-to-face at this high level has been broken, it opens a path to a more serious negotiating track.
But there are big bright red lines on both sides, especially on Iran’s nuclear programme.
On that issue and others, including the Strait of Hormuz, neither side will move easily, quickly, or at all – that’s the task of talks.
For now, the shaky ceasefire is holding, just. Even though both sides may want to avoid a military escalation, we have seen all too often the real risk of an accidental tumbling into confrontation.
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