US-Iran Talks Collapse; Experts: Trump's Hormuz Blockade May Backfire
Following the breakdown of US-Iran negotiations, experts caution that President Trump's threatened blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could be counterproductive and undermine US global credibility.
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- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 10:44
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 11:00 (16 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 22:09 (155h 9m after Collected)
According to Agence France-Presse, while the world had hoped that marathon negotiations between U.S. Vice President Vance and high-ranking Iranian officials would lead to an agreement to end the war that has engulfed the entire Middle East, these hopes have been dashed as he left Pakistan empty-handed.
After the negotiations broke down, Trump ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies one-fifth of the world's oil, but this move may not alleviate global economic panic.
Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, pointed out that Trump's tendency for off-the-cuff remarks and threats often leaves his staff scrambling to chart a course forward. He told AFP: "He might just be buying time to move military resources, or he simply doesn't know what else to do. I wouldn't call it strategy; it's a military-centric approach lacking strategy."
Shibley Telhami, a professor of Peace and Development at the University of Maryland and a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the blockade threat was "confusing and seems counterproductive." He told AFP: "Iran has long lost trust in Trump... It's hard to estimate the impact this will have on the remaining global credibility of the United States."
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards declared today that any rash move by the enemy in the Strait of Hormuz would lead to a "deadly vortex."
Danny Citrinowicz, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel, noted that a naval blockade would indeed put U.S. forces at greater risk.
He posted on social media platform X: "There is little reason to believe that a blockade would force Iran to yield... Iran's resilience demonstrated so far suggests the opposite is true."
Reuters reported that Dana Stroul, who held a senior position in the Pentagon during the Biden administration and is now a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said: "Trump wants to solve the problem quickly. But the reality is, this task is difficult to accomplish alone and unsustainable in the medium to long term."
Stroul believes this crisis requires a long-term international effort to resolve, stating, "In the long run, it needs to be resolved through diplomacy and international political will."
For Americans who have felt worried and stressed about this conflict since late February, such a protracted military operation may not gain approval.
A poll released today by CBS News showed that when respondents were asked about their feelings regarding the war, "worry, stress, and anger" far exceeded "a sense of security and confidence."
More than 80% of respondents said the U.S. should seek to restore navigation in the strait, improve global crude oil supply to lower oil prices, and ensure the "freedom" of the Iranian people; however, fewer than 10% said they believed these goals had been achieved. (Compiled by Zhang Mingxuan) 1150413
Keywords: International
After the negotiations broke down, Trump ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies one-fifth of the world's oil, but this move may not alleviate global economic panic.
Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, pointed out that Trump's tendency for off-the-cuff remarks and threats often leaves his staff scrambling to chart a course forward. He told AFP: "He might just be buying time to move military resources, or he simply doesn't know what else to do. I wouldn't call it strategy; it's a military-centric approach lacking strategy."
Shibley Telhami, a professor of Peace and Development at the University of Maryland and a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the blockade threat was "confusing and seems counterproductive." He told AFP: "Iran has long lost trust in Trump... It's hard to estimate the impact this will have on the remaining global credibility of the United States."
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards declared today that any rash move by the enemy in the Strait of Hormuz would lead to a "deadly vortex."
Danny Citrinowicz, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel, noted that a naval blockade would indeed put U.S. forces at greater risk.
He posted on social media platform X: "There is little reason to believe that a blockade would force Iran to yield... Iran's resilience demonstrated so far suggests the opposite is true."
Reuters reported that Dana Stroul, who held a senior position in the Pentagon during the Biden administration and is now a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said: "Trump wants to solve the problem quickly. But the reality is, this task is difficult to accomplish alone and unsustainable in the medium to long term."
Stroul believes this crisis requires a long-term international effort to resolve, stating, "In the long run, it needs to be resolved through diplomacy and international political will."
For Americans who have felt worried and stressed about this conflict since late February, such a protracted military operation may not gain approval.
A poll released today by CBS News showed that when respondents were asked about their feelings regarding the war, "worry, stress, and anger" far exceeded "a sense of security and confidence."
More than 80% of respondents said the U.S. should seek to restore navigation in the strait, improve global crude oil supply to lower oil prices, and ensure the "freedom" of the Iranian people; however, fewer than 10% said they believed these goals had been achieved. (Compiled by Zhang Mingxuan) 1150413
Keywords: International