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President Donald Trump and senior advisers are considering a range of military and economic pressure options against Iran, including a naval blockade and limited strikes on strategic infrastructure, following the breakdown of recent talks with Tehran, according to officials cited in US media reports.
In a statement on Monday, Trump said a naval blockade restricting shipping to and from Iranian ports would begin at 10am ET (3pm UK), as his administration assesses further steps to force a return to negotiations.
The reported measures form part of a broader strategy intended to increase pressure on Iran after diplomatic efforts stalled, with Israeli officials assessing that Washington is unlikely to escalate to full-scale military operations in the immediate term.
Instead, they believe the focus is on targeted economic and maritime pressure, particularly around Iran’s energy exports and access to the Strait of Hormuz — a vital shipping route through which a significant share of global oil passes.
Sources cited by the Wall Street Journal said options under discussion include limited strikes on Iranian infrastructure alongside maritime restrictions, although a wider bombing campaign is viewed as less likely due to concerns over regional instability and long-term military entanglement.
Trump has reportedly suggested that Iranian infrastructure, including energy and utilities, could be vulnerable in the event of escalation, while emphasising a preference to avoid prolonged conflict.
US Central Command is understood to be preparing enforcement plans targeting Iranian shipping and port activity to tighten economic pressure while avoiding broader disruption to global trade routes.
Despite the hardening rhetoric, diplomatic channels have not fully closed. Officials in Pakistan and several regional capitals are reportedly attempting to revive dialogue between Washington and Tehran, with mediation efforts involving Gulf and Asian partners continuing behind the scenes.
Pakistani officials have been engaging counterparts in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt in an effort to preserve a fragile ceasefire framework and prevent further escalation.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have strongly rejected the proposed measures, warning that the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control and accusing Washington of abandoning negotiations in bad faith.
The Strait of Hormuz remains the central flashpoint in the confrontation, with any disruption to shipping carrying immediate consequences for global energy markets.
Israeli officials, according to reports, believe the US approach is designed to force Tehran back to the negotiating table under greater economic pressure, rather than trigger immediate large-scale conflict.
However, analysts warn that even limited enforcement actions carry significant risks of miscalculation, particularly given the concentration of naval assets in a confined maritime corridor.
Any move to restrict Iranian oil exports would likely have immediate implications for global energy prices, with US officials already acknowledging the potential for sustained higher fuel costs.
Trump has indicated that while economic consequences are a concern, they are unlikely to alter the overall direction of policy if escalation continues.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly convened senior security officials to assess possible scenarios, including Iranian retaliation and wider regional spillover.
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