Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday accused the United States of committing war crimes through an illegal naval blockade. The charges came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Tehran of opening fire in the Strait of Hormuz and violating ceasefire terms.
Both point fingers
Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei posted a direct condemnation to
He cited Article 2, Section 4 of the United Nations Charter and referred to a 1974 United Nations General Assembly resolution that explicitly defined naval blockades as acts of aggression.
America’s so-called ‘blockade’ of Iranian ports or coastlines is not only a violation of the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire, but also an illegal and criminal act. It violates Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter. This constitutes an act of aggression under Article 3(c) of the United Nations General Provisions.
— Esmaeil Bacaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) April 19, 2026
Baghaei further said that the blockade amounted to collective punishment against Iranian civilians. This constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity under international law.
President Trump told reporters that Iran had opened fire in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement, which expires on Wednesday, April 22.
Trump said Iran had “seriously violated” the ceasefire but still believed a peace deal could be reached.
“It’s going to happen. One way or another. The good way or the hard way. It’s going to happen. You can quote me on that.”
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) April 19, 2026
He expressed confidence that a deal could still be done. “It’s going to happen,” he said, as quoted by an ABC News correspondent. “One way or another. The good way or the hard way.”
This exchange, diplomatically speaking, created a direct public contradiction between the two governments, who each claim fired first.
Iran Vs. America: A Market Already in Crisis
Bitcoin felt the pressure almost immediately. As the explosive news spread, prices fell from Sunday’s session high of $76,250 to $75,400. The decline wasn’t significant, but it reflects how closely the cryptocurrency market has been tracking this conflict in recent weeks.
BTCUSD now trading at $75,830. Chart: TradingView
Earlier this month, Bitcoin surged above $78,000 after President Trump announced that Iran had agreed to halt its nuclear program. When Tehran rejected this claim, this rally took a sharp reversal, sparking fresh volatility across cryptocurrency markets.
The pattern repeated itself. Optimism about a trade pushes prices up, and signs of a collapse push prices back down.
Image: Coinflip
Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint
The Strait of Hormuz is at the center of this standoff. One of the world’s most important maritime routes, it has been opened and closed at various points during the conflict.
Iran had previously reopened the strait following a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, but closed it again this week, according to reports.
President Trump threatened to take stronger measures if negotiations completely break down. Whether this pressure persists or the talks break down remains the issue that global markets and cryptocurrency traders are currently watching most closely.
Featured image by BESA, chart by TradingView
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