US Orders Blockade of Iranian Ports, Iran Calls Move ‘Illegal Piracy’

The US announced it would begin blocking all ships entering and leaving Iranian ports starting at 10 am ET on Monday. Iran quickly condemned the decision, calling the blockade illegal and an act of piracy. Iranian armed forces warned that if the security of Iranian ports is threatened, no port in the region will be safe. Following the announcement, shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has sharply slowed, leading to oil prices surging past $100 per barrel.