Strait of Hormuz Traffic Grinds to Halt as Trump Sends Envoy Witkoff to Pakistan for Iran Talks

Tanker traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz has largely ground to a halt, with multiple vessels executing U-turns over the past 24 hours. This maritime freeze coincides with renewed threats from a senior Iranian official to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, signaling a sharp escalation in regional tensions. The chokepoint's closure follows a brief opening on Friday and occurs as a US blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect, creating a volatile standoff in the world's most important oil transit corridor.

Amid the crisis, diplomatic channels appear active. President Trump confirmed that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is traveling to Pakistan for talks with Iranian negotiators, a move indicating the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are still pursuing a negotiated off-ramp. Trump separately posted on Truth Social that his representatives "will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations," while simultaneously renewing earlier threats, underscoring the dual-track approach of pressure and diplomacy.

The situation presents a high-stakes test of US-Iran relations, with global energy markets and regional security hanging in the balance. The simultaneous halt of commercial traffic and the dispatch of a high-level envoy create a tense backdrop for any negotiations, where the threat of further Strait closures looms as a potential bargaining chip or trigger for broader conflict.