Russia warns of danger of war resuming as US blockade of Iranian ports takes effect

The Kremlin has warned that the danger of war resuming in the Middle East has not been averted after US-Iran negotiations ended without result, as a US naval blockade of Iranian ports came into effect on April 13.

"The danger of the resumption of war has not been eliminated. For now, we can state that the negotiations ended without result," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state television.

Commenting on the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Peskov said it was unknown what the consequences would be.

The US military blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas came into effect at 10:00 ET (17:00 Moscow time) on April 13. The US military said it would allow ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz if travelling between non-Iranian ports.

President Donald Trump said he had received a call from "the right people" in Iran earlier on April 13 and that they wanted to make a deal. Trump said the nuclear issue remained the main sticking point in negotiations with Tehran.

Axios reported that contacts between the US and Iran were ongoing and that there was progress toward an agreement.

The Islamabad talks between the US and Iran concluded on April 11 without a deal. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei described the negotiations as tense, saying they covered the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, reparations and the lifting of sanctions.

The US proposed a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment during the talks, according to Axios, while Tehran offered a significantly shorter timeframe.

Iran's armed forces accused the US of "piracy" and said the country's ports were "either for everyone or for no one." Oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel as traffic through the strait was at a near standstill.