Trump’s Christ-Like Post Adds Fury to Pope Feud as Failed Iran Talks and Hormuz Pressure Shake Markets

The newest turn in the U.S.-Israel war against Iran came after weekend talks in Islamabad collapsed and Washington responded not with a new diplomatic offer, but with a maritime squeeze. The U.S. military said it would begin blocking shipping entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, a move that sent Brent crude back above $100 a barrel and renewed fears about inflation, freight and energy costs worldwide. The blockade stops short of a full U.S. shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, and that distinction is important. U.S. Central Command said ships traveling through Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports would still be allowed to pass. But tankers were already steering clear of the waterway, and Trump said any vessel paying tolls to Iran would be intercepted. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that any military approach to the strait would violate the two-week ceasefire and draw a forceful response.  The diplomatic breakdown in Pakistan is now central to the situation. The Isla...