Iranian oil flows at risk? No deal in Islamabad, Trump hints at naval blockade on Iran

US President Donald Trump has signalled a possible naval blockade against Iran after talks between the two sides in Islamabad ended without an agreement.

Must Read: 'Bad news for Iran': No breakthrough in Islamabad, JD Vance returns to US

Hours after the collapse of more than 21 hours of negotiations, Trump shared a news article titled "The Trump card the president holds if Iran won't bend: a naval blockade."

While Trump did not elaborate, the article outlines how a blockade could work by restricting Iran's oil exports - a key source of revenue - and increasing pressure on countries such as China that import Iranian crude.

Must Read: 'Hormuz still closed, Vance flies home': Iran mocks US again after Islamabad talks collapse

It cites a previous US strategy against Venezuela, where a naval blockade was used to "bring the economy to its knees" by choking off oil revenues.

Bloomberg earlier reported that Iran has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in additional income from oil sales since the start of the war. The gains have come as Iran remains one of the few major exporters able to continue using Hormuz, while shipments from other Gulf producers have been effectively disrupted. 

The report suggests a similar approach could now be applied to Iran, with US naval assets already positioned in the region. These include the USS Gerald Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier groups, which could support surveillance and enforcement operations.

Must Read: Hormuz traffic crawls back, but Iran-linked ships dominate key oil route

Experts, cited in the report, say the US Navy could take control of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route. "It would be very easy for the US Navy to exert complete control over what does and does not go up and down the Strait now," national security expert Rebecca Grant told Just The News.

She added that increased naval movement in the area indicates the US could monitor and potentially restrict vessels passing through the narrow waterway.

The article also outlines more aggressive options, including targeting Iran's oil infrastructure or physically controlling key export points such as Kharg Island, described as a vital hub for Iranian oil shipments.

Direct talks between the US and Iranian delegations in Islamabad failed to produce a breakthrough. US Vice President JD Vance, who headed the American delegation, said the discussions were "substantive" but ended without agreement.

"We have been at it now for 21 hours. We've had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians, that's the good news," Vance said. "The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement."

He said the US had presented its "final and best offer", but Iran did not accept the terms. "We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians would accept our terms," he added.

Vance said preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remained the "core goal" of the US President.

With diplomacy stalled, the sharing of the blockade strategy points to a potential shift towards economic and military pressure, though it remains unclear whether or when such a move would be implemented.