Washington DC [US], April 19 : US President Donald Trump left the White House to play golf even as tensions escalated following Iran's re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US blockade of Iranian ports, Al Jazeera reported.
Al Jazeera correspondent said there had been no fresh statements from the president after his earlier remarks. "We haven't had any announcements from the president since that comment in the morning that Iran was getting a 'bit cute', in his words, over the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
However, he noted that a high-level meeting was held before Trump departed. "Before Trump left for the golf course, however, there reportedly was a meeting in the situation room to discuss the crisis," a correspondent said, CNN reported.
Citing a report by Axios, he added that senior officials were present. "Referring to a report from Axios News, he said Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were all in attendance at the meeting," as reported by CNN.
"So this is obviously something, if that report is true, that they are thinking about and talking about," the correspondent said, contrasting it with earlier optimism, as per CNN.
"On Friday, President Trump was saying that they would get a deal within a day or two. It seemed really likely that we'd be heading back to Islamabad for the negotiations," he noted, adding that there has since been no clarity on whether talks will proceed, CNN reported.
"So it's either tit for tat in that way," he said, referring to Iran's response to the US blockade. "Or there is something more serious happening," as reported by CNN.
Meanwhile, a fresh round of talks between Iranian and American negotiators is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday, Iranian officials familiar with the discussions said, CNN earlier reported.
They added that delegations are likely to arrive in the Pakistani capital on Sunday, as reported by CNN earlier.
Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed from this evening, amid tensions linked to a 10-day ceasefire with the US and Israel.
In a statement, the IRGC said the move followed violations of ceasefire conditions, alleging that the US had not lifted the naval blockade on Iranian vessels and ports. "Therefore, from this evening, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until this blockade is lifted," the statement said.
It also warned vessels against approaching the Strait, stating, "We warn that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the violating vessel will be targeted."
Earlier, Iran had said it would prioritise ships that pay fees for crossing, citing limited capacity under new restrictions. "Given the limitation on the number of vessels that will be allowed to pass, Iran has decided to give priority to those vessels that respond more quickly to the new Strait of Hormuz protocols and pay the costs of security and safety services," a senior official said.
The developments come as US President Donald Trump warned that Iran was no longer in a position to "blackmail" Washington amid escalating tensions.
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