
Why Trump’s Iran blockade could backfire at sea
From The Front Page by NZ Herald
April 14, 2026 · 17 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of the US blockade of Iranian ports and its potential consequences.
The US blockade of Iranian ports has begun. President Donald Trump is warning any ships that try to disrupt US efforts will be eliminated. Earlier, Iran's parliament speaker said the country would not "surrender under threats". Weekend peace talks between the US and Iran ended without resolution, with Trump blaming Iran 's unwillingness to end its nuclear ambitions. Vice President JD Vance has said that it’s up to Iran and the “ball is in their court” about furthering peace talks. So, what exactly is a blockade? Is it legal? And, what could it mean for the wider conflict? Today on The Front Page, University of Waikato international law professor Al Gillespie is with us to unpack the implications and explore what this move might really achieve. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea Daniels Editor/Producer: Richard Martin Producer: Jane Yee See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
People in this episode
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Guest: Al Gillespie
Topics covered
- US-Iran relations
- blockade
- international law
- nuclear ambitions
- peace talks
Keywords
- blockade
- Iran
- Trump
- international law
- peace talks
- nuclear ambitions
- JD Vance
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Waikato, NZ Herald
Places: Iran, US, Iranian ports
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