Trump threatens to block the Strait of Hormuz, triggering an 8% surge in global oil prices
¬ Russian Foreign Ministry: Doubts over Trump's "Peace Committee" are growing
Trading data shows that after U.S. President Trump announced his intention to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices surged by 8%, with Brent crude exceeding $102 per barrel.
As of 1:01 a.m. Moscow time on April 13, the price of Brent crude June futures rose 7.76% compared to the last closure of the strait, reaching $102.59 per barrel; WTI May futures jumped 8.2%, reaching $104.51 per barrel.
Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the morning of April 8 a two-week ceasefire agreement with Tehran. Subsequently, the United States and Iran began negotiations in Islamabad on April 11. On the morning of April 12, U.S. Vice President James Vance, head of the American delegation, stated that after prolonged talks, no agreement had been reached, and the U.S. delegation would return home empty-handed.
Trump said on April 12 that the United States would begin blocking all vessels attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz, implementing a full blockade. He also ordered the Navy to track and intercept any ships that have paid fees for passage through the strait to Iran.
The U.S. Central Command announced that it would begin blocking "all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports" starting at Moscow time on April 13.
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Kirill Logvinov, Director of the Department of International Organizations at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that under the current Middle East situation, doubts about the actual goals and tasks of former U.S. President Trump’s “Peace Committee” are increasingly mounting.
In a recent interview with TASS, Logvinov pointed out that the situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate, leading to growing skepticism among various parties— including countries officially joined to the committee—regarding the real objectives, mission, and operational mechanisms of the so-called “Peace Committee” established by U.S. President Trump.
Logvinov said: “The fact that many country delegations prefer to participate as observers speaks volumes.”
He emphasized that Israel continues its military operations in the Gaza Strip while severely restricting the entry of humanitarian aid supplies; meanwhile, on the West Bank, settlement construction and expansion are advancing at record-breaking speeds, with settlers’ acts of violence and extremism having reached an “unusually severe” level.
Logvinov further noted: “Despite the current period being a crucial religious holiday—marking the end of Ramadan and Easter—Jerusalem’s holy sites are under threat, and access routes to the city are blocked. Lebanon, as UN Secretary-General has warned, faces the risk of repeating Gaza’s fate. Tensions in southern Syria remain unresolved, with conditions remaining grave in areas such as Suwayda and the Golan Heights.”
Source: sputniknews
Original: toutiao.com/article/1862314579153984/
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