Several countries have issued statements in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to blockade Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles delivered the strongest criticism, saying the proposal made no sense. China urged calm and restraint, emphasizing that keeping the strait open serves the common interests of the international community. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called for a full and effective ceasefire implementation and the protection of maritime and air navigation freedom.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and the United Kingdom will organize a conference in the coming days to restore freedom of navigation in the strait. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the United Kingdom does not support any blockade. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of navigation freedom in the Strait of Hormuz and called for strong coordination among EU member states.

The coordinated responses highlight growing international concern over regional stability and the potential impact of U.S. actions on global maritime security.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned that Israel could identify Turkey as its next adversary. In an interview with Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu, Fidan said Israel is a state that cannot sustain itself without an enemy, suggesting that after Iran, Turkey might become its next target. His remarks were reported by Al Jazeera on April 13, 2026.

Fidan also discussed ongoing talks between Iran and the United States, noting that despite Pakistan’s mediation, no agreement has been reached. However, he said both sides remain sincere about achieving a ceasefire. He cautioned that if the nuclear issue, particularly uranium enrichment, becomes an all-or-nothing matter, it could create major complications and stall progress in the negotiations.

According to Fidan, the current situation risks heightening tensions across the Middle East and could push the involved parties toward diplomatic deadlock.

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have welcomed the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, describing it as a step toward a lasting solution and regional stability. In a joint statement, the ten-member bloc highlighted the global importance of energy flows and trade routes and called for the restoration of safe, uninterrupted navigation for ships and aircraft through the Strait of Hormuz. The ministers also urged all parties to ensure the safety of sailors and vessels in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

The ASEAN ministers praised Pakistan and other involved parties for their mediation efforts and encouraged Washington and Tehran to continue dialogue aimed at a permanent resolution of the conflict. They emphasized the importance of upholding international law, maintaining regional peace and prosperity, and promoting sincere dialogue and diplomacy.

The statement noted that although Southeast Asia holds significant fossil fuel reserves, the region remains heavily dependent on imported oil and gas, much of which passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization has reported that 3,375 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. The organization’s head, Abbas Masjedi, stated that the deaths were identified through scientific and specialized methods during what he described as an imposed war. The information was cited by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, according to AFP.

Masjedi detailed that among the dead, 2,875 were men and 496 were women, but he did not specify how many were adults or children. The report underscores the difficulty of verifying the true number of casualties in Iran due to restricted access to affected areas and limitations on independent reporting.

AFP noted that it could not independently confirm the casualty figures because of the challenges in gathering information from the sites of the attacks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran came 'very close' to reaching a potential agreement with the United States during talks held in Islamabad. He said Iran entered the discussions with goodwill, but the negotiations collapsed due to Washington’s refusal to make concessions, repeated changes in stance, and multiple forms of pressure.

In a social media post, Araghchi described the meeting as the highest-level dialogue between the two countries in 47 years, aimed at ending the ongoing war. He said Iran was only 'inches away' from signing the 'Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding' before encountering obstacles. Araghchi added that goodwill should be met with goodwill, while hostility only breeds hostility.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed Araghchi’s remarks, saying diplomatic progress with Washington remains possible if the United States abandons what he called an 'authoritarian' attitude and respects Iran’s rights.

The United Kingdom has announced it will not participate in any United States-led initiative to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, according to a BBC report published on April 13, 2026. A spokesperson for the UK government stated that the country opposes imposing any tolls on the vital maritime route and is instead working to form an international coalition to safeguard freedom of navigation.

The spokesperson emphasized that maintaining open access to the Strait of Hormuz is essential for the global economy and for controlling living costs. The UK is collaborating with France and other partners to establish a broad alliance aimed at ensuring maritime security in the region. The statement comes amid heightened tensions surrounding one of the world’s most critical energy transport routes.

The UK’s position underscores its commitment to maritime freedom and multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral actions in the strategically significant waterway.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that NATO has agreed to assist in clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz. He made the statement in an interview with Fox News following warnings about a possible blockade of the vital maritime route. Trump said the United States had previously been frustrated with NATO but now welcomed its support in ensuring the waterway remains open.

According to Trump, the mine-clearing operation will not take long, and the strait will soon reopen for shipping. He confirmed that the United States is deploying mine-removal vessels and that the United Kingdom and several other NATO member countries are also sending minesweepers to participate in the operation.

The report also noted that Russia strongly criticized Trump’s earlier blockade announcement, while Pope Leo maintained a firm anti-war stance despite Trump’s criticism. The issue has drawn global reactions, reflecting heightened international concern over stability in the region.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Iraq’s ambassador on Sunday to deliver a formal protest following allegations that attacks were launched from Iraqi territory against Saudi Arabia. According to state media reports, the ministry condemned and protested what it described as assaults originating from Iraq targeting Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The Saudi Press Agency released a statement and a photo of the meeting between the ambassador and Saudi officials.

The statement marks one of the first formal complaints in the region suggesting that recent attacks on Gulf states may have been carried out from Iraq amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The diplomatic move came just days after similar accusations were made by the United States.

The report also noted that Iraq has been drawn into the broader conflict, with repeated attacks targeting U.S. interests and Iran-aligned groups within its borders. Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq had claimed daily strikes on “enemy bases” but announced a suspension of operations following a temporary truce between Iran and the United States.

The United States military announced that it will begin blocking all Iranian ports starting Monday. According to the US Central Command, the blockade will start at 10 a.m. local time in Iran, equivalent to 2 p.m. GMT and 8 p.m. Bangladesh time. The military clarified that ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz to other countries will not be obstructed. US President Donald Trump said he ordered the move in response to what he called Iran’s deliberate failure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Iran will not bow to threats. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any military vessel approaching the Strait of Hormuz would be considered a violation of the current ceasefire. The situation follows the collapse of peace talks in Pakistan, which Trump said failed because Iran refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Following the announcement, global oil prices surged above 100 dollars per barrel, reflecting market fears of supply disruptions linked to the new blockade.

Iran’s armed forces have condemned the United States’ announced blockade of ports in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, describing it as illegal and an act of piracy. The statement, reported Monday by Iran’s state media IRIB, asserted that these ports must remain open to all or closed to all, emphasizing Iran’s right to defend its legal and territorial sovereignty.

The Iranian military declared that hostile vessels would not be allowed to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while other ships could transit if they complied with Tehran’s regulations. The statement also said that a permanent system would be established to maintain control over this vital waterway amid ongoing threats against the nation.

Iran further warned that if the security of any of its ports was compromised, no other port in the region would remain safe. The statement concluded that US-imposed restrictions on international maritime movement were unlawful and amounted to piracy.

Zohreh Kharazmi, an associate professor of World Studies at the University of Tehran, stated that US President Trump's threats regarding control of the Hormuz Strait will not alter Iran's negotiating stance. She argued that discussions about blocking the strait reflect a broader debate on resilience, noting that Iran recently sold 150 million barrels of oil and expanded ties with various countries to meet basic needs.

Kharazmi asserted that the United States is overestimating its ability to pressure Iran into changing its position. She emphasized that Iran is fully prepared for counterattacks and that control over the Hormuz Strait forms the core of the region's emerging security structure. She also suggested that a shift from the petrodollar to the petroyuan could bring significant global changes.

According to Kharazmi, Washington lacks the capacity to alter Tehran’s firm determination, underscoring Iran’s confidence in maintaining its strategic stance despite external pressure.

Iran’s navy chief Rear Admiral Shahram Irani has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz as “extremely ridiculous.” In a statement published by Iranian media on April 13, 2026, Irani said that Iran’s naval forces are closely monitoring every movement of U.S. fleets in the region.

According to the report, Iran restricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after a joint U.S.-Israeli offensive began on February 28. Tehran has allowed ships from allied nations to pass but banned vessels linked to what it calls aggressive states and their supporters. Iran’s parliament is also advancing a draft law to impose transit fees in the national currency and to prohibit U.S. and Israeli ships entirely.

The Iranian health ministry reported that since February 28, joint force attacks have killed 2,076 people and injured more than 26,000. A U.S. cruise missile strike on a primary school in Minab on the same day killed 168 students, according to the ministry.

At least five people were killed and nine others injured in new Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA). The report said one person died in multiple air raids on the town of Bajourieh, where several houses and a school building were severely damaged. Four more deaths were reported in Nabatieh El Fawka and Sir El Gharbiyeh, while additional casualties occurred in the town of Choukin.

NNA stated that the attacks caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure across southern Lebanon. The agency added that further details about the situation would be provided as more information becomes available.

The report cited Al Jazeera as its source, but did not include official statements or reactions from either side regarding the strikes or their aftermath.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Sunday that he is working to end the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory. His statement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in southern Lebanon, according to AFP.

In his address, delivered on the eve of the anniversary of Lebanon’s 1975–1990 civil war, Salam emphasized that his government is committed to halting the war, securing the release of all prisoners, rebuilding destroyed villages and towns, and ensuring the safe return of displaced people. He added that Lebanon continues to pursue diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

The remarks came ahead of a scheduled meeting in Washington on Tuesday involving officials from Lebanon, Israel, and the United States, where discussions are expected to focus on the ongoing conflict and possible de-escalation measures.

High-level peace talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad ended without any agreement, with Tehran blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for derailing the process. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a phone call from Netanyahu to US Vice President JD Vance during the 21-hour meeting disrupted progress toward a potential deal.

In a post on social media platform X, Araghchi claimed that Netanyahu’s call shifted the focus of the talks from US-Iran issues to Israel’s interests. He further alleged that Washington sought to achieve at the negotiating table what it had failed to gain through conflict. The discussions were held under Pakistan’s mediation, and Araghchi described Vance’s subsequent press conference as unnecessary.

Iran reiterated its commitment to protecting its national interests and sovereignty. The White House has neither confirmed nor denied the reported phone call between Netanyahu and Vance.