US-Iran ceasefire: US moves to blockade Iranian ports as Strait of Hormuz traffic halts, oil prices surge

Trump lambasts Pope Leo XIV, extending feud over Iran war

Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media Sunday, saying the first American pope should “stop catering to the Radical Left.”

It was an extraordinary broadside against the global leader of the Catholic Church, exacerbating a feud that began over the war in Iran.

A short time later, speaking to reporters after Air Force One landed outside Washington from Florida, Trump said, “We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon.”

“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said, adding that “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.”

Ships have stopped moving through the Strait of Hormuz

Lloyd’s List Intelligence wrote Sunday that “all traffic” through the Strait of Hormuz stopped after the president announced that the U.S. would blockade the waterway. It said two vessels that were leaving the strait turned around.

A trickle of traffic had returned to the strait in the days since the U.S. and Iran agreed to pause the conflict.

Oil prices jump, WTI soars to $104 as Mideast talks fail

Oil prices jumped in early trading Monday, with US and global benchmarks climbing sharply amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and investor concern over potential supply disruptions through key shipping lanes.

As of 7:19 am (Asia time) on April 13, West Texas Intermediate crude traded at $104.8 a barrel, up $8.24 or 8.53% in the last 10 minutes. Brent crude, the international benchmark, stood at $102.7, up $7.54 or 7.92%. Murban crude slipped 1.47% to $98.16.

US to begin blockade of Iranian ports on Monday: military

The US military said it would begin a blockade of all Iranian ports "within hours", after peace talks in Pakistan collapsed with Washington blaming the Islamic republic's refusal to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

The announcement came despite a ceasefire agreed on Wednesday aimed at pausing the six-week war until April 22, with tensions centred on whether the United States can force Iran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, another of its key demands in the stalled negotiations.

Lebanon PM says 'working' to get Israeli troop withdrawal

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Sunday he was working to stop the Israel-Hezbollah war, even as Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu told troops in south Lebanon that the fight there was far from over.

Iran says was 'inches away' from deal with US in Islamabad

Iran says was "inches away" from deal with US in Islamabad, French news agency AFP reported.

The talks in Islamabad ended without an agreement. Iran’s foreign ministry has publicly said Tehran entered the high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad in “good faith” and came close to an agreement with US officials, but ultimately no deal was reached after 21 hours of face-to-face talks aimed at stabilising the fragile ceasefire and ending the ongoing Middle East conflict.

US‑Israel war on Iran: Recent developments

Day 44: US to begin 'blockade' of Iranian ports on Monday

Day 43: 3-way talks with the US and Iran begin in Pakistan

Day 42: Trump says Iran has 'no cards' as Vance heads for talks

Day 41: Kuwait condemns drone attacks, US warns vs Hormuz toll

Day 40: Trump agrees to suspend attack on Iran by two weeks

Day 39: UAE, Qatar on alert as Trump's deadline nears

Day 38: Iran and US receive draft proposal for war ceasefire

Day 37: Second F-15E crew member rescued in Iran

Day 36: Trump warns Iran: 48 hours or all hell will reign down

Day 35: Trump seeks $1.5t defence budget as war intensifies

Day 34: UN chief warns world on 'edge of a wider war'

Day 33: Trump says US to hit Iran 'extremely hard'

Day 32: Debris hits several homes in Dubai, 4 injured

Day 31: Trump threatens to obliterate Iran's Kharg island