U.S. military leaders said Thursday the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports is working as the Trump administration seeks a peace agreement with Iran. Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced the United States would block all ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports. The move is intended to pressure Iran into reaching an agreement with Washington. RELATED STORY | Trump threatens to strike Iran's infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz isn't reopened While the U.S. has declared military success over Iran, the country’s control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a sticking point. The strait, a major passage for oil tankers, has seen closures that caused oil prices to rise. “Let me be clear — this blockade applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports,” Gen. Dan Caine said. “Enforcement will occur inside Iran’s territorial seas and in international waters.” U.S. military operations have “eliminated” the Iranian navy, said Pete Hegseth, who has been involved in the strategic communications effort. RELATED STORY | How the Iran war is choking critical aid distribution around the world “The math is clear. We’re using 10 percent of the world’s most powerful navy, and you have zero percent of your navy,” Hegseth said. Officials said at least nine ships have complied with U.S. orders to turn around since the blockade began earlier this week. According to a source familiar with the discussions, the United States has outlined a series of “red lines” for any agreement. Those conditions include ending all uranium enrichment, dismantling key nuclear facilities, surrendering its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, agreeing to a broader regional de-escalation framework, ceasing funding for proxy groups and fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz without imposing tolls.
U.S. military leaders said Thursday the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports is working as the Trump administration seeks a peace agreement with Iran. Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced the United States would block all ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports. The move i…
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Vice President JD Vance downplayed the scope of the conflict in Iran, saying he would not describe it as “a war” given that major combat operations ended several weeks ago — even though military strikes recently intensified in the region. Bloomberg's Abeer Abu Omar has the latest.
Sep 4th, 2026 US VP Vance on Iran Conflict: “I Wouldn’t Call it a War” | Daybreak Europe 9/4/2026 Bloomberg Daybreak Europe is your essential morning viewing to stay ahead. Live from London, we set the agenda for your day, catching you up with overnight markets news from the US and Asia.
And we'll tell you what matters for investors in Europe, giving you insight before trading begins. Vice President JD Vance downplayed the scope of the conflict in Iran, saying he would not describe it as “a war” given that major combat operations ended several weeks ago — even though military strikes recently intensified in the region.
Global stocks extended their advance as easing bets on a Federal Reserve interest-rate hike this month lifted sentiment. And Volkswagen’s supervisory board backed a sweeping restructuring that calls for 50,000 additional job cuts, far fewer models and a smaller industrial footprint, giving Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume his clearest mandate yet to overhaul Europe’s biggest carmaker.
Jordan, a U.S. ally hosting American military forces, has faced repeated drone and missile attacks, which reports suggest are linked to Iranian operations, alongside broader economic challenges and regional instability. Despite these security risks, Jordanian officials have affirmed their commitment to the alliance, while King Abdullah II warned that current global and regional disruptions pose a broad threat to international stability.
Oil prices rose this week as conflict intensified in the six-month war, with Iran reportedly maintaining control of the Strait of Hormuz while the US presses a counter-blockade of Iranian ports. Iranian authorities claimed to have targeted US military assets in Kuwait and the UAE, though Kuwait confirmed intercepting a missile and drone attack on its air base, while the UAE reported no evidence of an attack on its own facilities.
These exchanges followed Iran’s attribution of a deadly wedding strike in Kuhestak to the US, a claim US Vice President JD Vance stated is currently under investigation but disputed by Washington.