Day: April 14, 2026
3/ It is also unclear whether any of the vessels that left Iranian ports on April 14 were authorized to do so under CENTCOM’s “limited grade period.” United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported on April 13 that CENTCOM granted “neutral vessels” currently docked at Iranian ports an unspecified grace period to depart. The complexity and variety of factors involved in the blockade, including determining vessels’ origin and destination and whether vessels are considered “neutral”, make it premature to try to assess whether some vessels have gotten through the US blockade.
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) Apr 15, 2026
MORE 🧵(1/3): Commercially available maritime data indicates that at least eight vessels departed the Strait of Hormuz, including six Iranian or Iranian-linked vessels, on April 14. One of the vessels, the US-sanctioned Rich Starry oil tanker, departed from Amjan Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on April 13. Other Iranian or Iranian-linked vessels, including the Elpis and Christianna, also left the strait after departing Iranian ports. Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar)NEW: US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that no vessels have breached the US blockade on Iranian ports since CENTCOM implemented its blockade on April 13. The US blockade on Iranian ports does not have a defined geographic boundary, and the United States can interdict vessels almost anywhere in international waters until they arrive at their final port. It is unclear whether any of the vessels that left Iranian ports on April 14 were authorized to do so under CENTCOM’s “limited grade period.”
Other Key Takeaways:
The United States’ decision not to renew a 30-day sanctions waiver for Iranian oil exports, which is set to expire on April 19, will further constrain Iran’s ability to export oil in addition to the US blockade on Iranian ports. Two US officials told Reuters on April 14 that the US Treasury Department will enforce sanctions on Iranian oil after April 19.
Iran is reportedly considering temporarily pausing shipments to avoid testing the US blockade on Iranian ports and raising tensions ahead of possible talks, according to a person familiar with Iranian decision-making on the Strait of Hormuz speaking to Bloomberg on April 14. Iran would only be able to pause shipments for a limited period of time before it would start to run out of room to store oil. Iran could also pursue several other courses of action in response to the US blockade, including agreeing to a deal acceptable to the United States, attempting to run the blockade, or resuming the war.
Iranian Supreme Leader Adviser Mohammad Mokhber warned that Iran will “open new fronts” and “increase economic pressures” on US allies and regional countries in response to the US blockade on Iranian ports, likely to try to coerce the United States to end its blockade. Mokhber may have been referring to the Houthis, which has not conducted attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea during the war thus far. Arab officials told the Wall Street Journal on April 14 that Iran is pressuring the Houthis to “close” the Bab al Mandeb Strait.
US President Donald Trump stated on April 14 that the United States and Iran may hold another round of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, “over [the] next two days.” A senior Iranian source told Western media on April 14 that the United States and Iran are keeping April 17 through 19 open for possible talks, but that no date has been confirmed.— https://x.com/TheStudyofWar/status/2044222550272573773
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) Apr 15, 2026
2/ Commercially available maritime data also indicates that at least nine vessels entered the Strait of Hormuz, including three Iranian or Iranian-linked ships. One of the entering vessels was the Ocean Energy cargo ship, which docked at Iran’s Bandar Abbas Port on April 13. It is unclear whether this vessel was exempted from the blockade. Reuters reported that a US military notice sent to mariners exempts humanitarian shipments to Iran from the US blockade. CENTCOM also announced that six merchant vessels complied with the US direction to return to an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM has not interdicted any vessels at the time of this writing (1400 EDT).
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) Apr 15, 2026
⚡️Russian drones strike Cherkasy, killing child, injuring 9.
At least one child has been killed and another nine people injured in a Russian drone attack on Cherkasy on the evening of April 14, officials reported.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) Apr 15, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s choice for central bank chair is set to face a confirmation hearing next Tuesday, in a nomination some have criticized as an attempt to take over the Federal Reserve. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the committee, “There should be no hearing or vote in the Senate on Kevin Warsh’s nomination while the President continues his attempt to take over the Fed.”