US forces have “completely halted” maritime trade to and from Iran, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday as the blockade continues.

“In less than 36 hours since the blockade was imposed, US forces have completely halted economic trade entering and leaving Iran by sea,” Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement.

His statement came after CENTCOM on Monday launched a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports.

The command, which is responsible for military operations in the Middle East, said the blockade is being “applied impartially to ships of all countries” entering or leaving Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

“CENTCOM forces will not impede the freedom of navigation for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,” the statement said.

The blockade followed rare direct talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan over the weekend aimed at ending the war that began on February 28, but the negotiations failed to produce an agreement.

Earlier on Tuesday, CENTCOM announced that in the first 24 hours no ships failed to pass the US blockade, while six merchant ships obeyed instructions from US forces to turn around and re-enter an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman.

The Wall Street Journal newspaper, citing a US official, reported that the US Navy has detained eight oil tankers entering or leaving Iranian ports since the blockade began.

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Source: prizrenpost