The new Hormuz blockade, briefly explained

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Welcome to The Logoff: After the US and Iran failed to reach a longer-term peace deal over the weekend, President Donald Trump is trying something new: blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

How does it work? Iran had already closed the Strait, a crucial passage for oil and natural gas, to most foreign traffic shortly after the US-Iran war began. Now Trump’s blockade will also halt traffic to Iranian ports and Limiting Iran’s ability to sell its own oilwhich further disrupts the global market.

CENTCOM, the US military command covering the Middle East, you said that the blockade does not extend to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports, but given the Strait’s ongoing closure, it is unlikely that much other traffic will resume unless Iran wants it to.

What is Trump trying to achieve? Trump still wants the Strait of Hormuz fully reopened, stopping last week’s fire – despite his claims – did not achieve. Now he appears to be betting that imposing his own shutdown targeting Iranian shipments will force Iran to give ground.

In a Truth Social post over the weekend, he wrote that “At some point we will reach an ‘ALL ALLOWED IN, ALL ALLOWED OUT’ basis” for the Street.

What is the context? As we mentioned above, US and Iranian delegations met in Pakistan over the weekend to try to negotiate a peace deal that addresses the ongoing conflict, the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear ambitions. It didn’t work out, so it’s back to the drawing board.

now what? The blockade aside, the US-Iran ceasefire is still in place until next week, and we could get another round of talks before it expires. Whether it will bear fruit is another question: Vice President JD Vance described the US proposal over the weekend as “our last and best offer.”

The blockade is also likely to push prices higher globally – and increase economic pressure on both countries to reach a deal.

And with that, it’s time to sign off…

Hello readers, have I mentioned that bicycle racing may be the most beautiful sport in the world? I’m sure I did. I’m thinking specifically of this weekend’s edition of Paris-Roubaix, a race also known as the Hell of the North, and its winner, Wout van Aert, who triumphed on Sunday after years of injuries, accidents and almost but not quite there.

Patrick Redford, Defector’s stalwart cycling correspondent, does a better job than I of capturing what Van Aert’s win means, and you can read his story here with a giveaway link (and look at Van Aert’s triumphant sprint here).

Thanks for reading, have a great evening, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!