For now, links to SEVEN-plus reports, analyses, interviews and commentary (11): from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, the Cradle, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 4-12-26.) — MCM

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U.S. military is poised to blockade Iranian ports, while Tehran threatens ports in the Mideast, by Samy Magdy, Julia Frankel and Mike Corder | AP   CAIRO — The U.S. military vowed to blockade all Iranian ports starting today in an effort to force Tehran to open the crucial Strait of Hormuz and accept a peace deal. Iran responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, taking aim at U.S.-allied countries. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Retired U.S. Navy admiral on Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Michel Martin of NPR speaks with retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Foggo, dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy, about President Trump’s command to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Click HERE later to listen and, still later, read; and HERE for links to all five Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”  Click HERE for report from Al Jazeera.

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Tehran vows ‘permanent’ control of Hormuz after U.S. announces blockade of Iranian ports. From the Cradle. The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian military today accused Washington of “piracy” while vowing to act “decisively” to control the Strait of Hormuz and secure Iran’s waters — this hours after the U.S. military announced a blockade of Iranian ports. READ MORE . . .

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Trump is returning to a war with Iran that offers no easy victory for anyone, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  It is entirely in keeping with the way he has managed this war that U.S. President Donald Trump’s first reaction to the collapse of talks in Islamabad was to announce a measure that helps Iranmore than it hurts it. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  U.S. military says it will blockade Iranian ports after talks ended without agreement, by Munir Ahmed, Josh Boak and Sam Metz | AP  ISLAMABAD — President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would swiftly begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the strategic Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. U.S. Central Command announced the blockade would involve all Iranian ports, beginning . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE and HERE for reports from NPR.

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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TO BE CONTINUED