Washington DC [US], April 13 (ANI): With the US military naval blockade against Iran officially commenced following the expiry of the deadline established by US President Donald Trump, mediators continue talks with the US and Iran to bridge gaps and reach a deal to end the war, Axios reported, citing a regional source and a US official.

As per the report by Axios, Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators will continue talks with the U.S. and Iran in the coming days.

The report noted that all parties still believe a deal is possible and the mediators hope that bridging the divide could enable another round of negotiations before the ceasefire expires on April 21.

According to Axios, US President Trump is considering resuming strikes if a U.S. naval blockade doesn't make Iran change course, sources said.

It mentioned that the targets could include infrastructure Trump threatened to attack before the ceasefire was announced.

Citing a US official, Axios said that the blockade, like the U.S. decision to walk away from the talks in Pakistan, is part of the ongoing negotiations.

The official claimed Trump wants to prevent Iran from using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in the ceasefire negotiations.

'We are not in a complete deadlock. The door is not closed yet. Both sides are bargaining. It's a bazaar,' the regional source said according to Axios.

Meanwhile, the US President confirmed that the Naval Blockade of the Hormuz Strait has begun.

'Iran's Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated - 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, 'fast attack ships,' because we did not consider them much of a threat. Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal. P.S. 98.2% of Drugs coming into the U.S. by Ocean or Sea have STOPPED! Thank you for your attention to this matter,' he said in a post on X.

The enforcement of the blockade at Iranian ports was also confirmed by the UK Maritime Organisation. (ANI)

(ANI)