From BBC News.

President Donald Trump has imposed a naval blockade of Iran, after Washington and Tehran failed to reach a peace deal at their talks over the weekend. US Central Command has said it encompasses "the entirety of the Iranian coastline" including, but not limited to, ports and oil terminals.

For much of the war with the US and Israel, Iran has conducted its own effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — a key waterway for oil and gas tankers. But Tehran has granted passage to a few ships from countries which are on good diplomatic terms with Iran, including China. Recently, Iran said it would charge a fee for ships crossing the strait, in what analysts have described as a "tollbooth" system.

President Trump has now decided to try to inflict economic pressure on Iran’s leaders. He said he has "instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in international waters that has paid a toll to Iran". In the hours after that announcement, the price of oil once again rose above $100 per barrel.

We ask the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Landale about the logistics and strategy of the US blockade, and what it could mean for Iran — and its trading partner China.

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