AS IT HAPPENED: Trump threatens to blow Iranians blocking the Strait of Hormuz 'to hell'; Naval blockade to begin Tuesday; oil prices jump

That ends our rolling coverage of the war in the Middle East for today. Here's what you need to know:

Iranian officials have threatened retaliation over the US plan to block the Strait of Hormuz, declaring they will not be coerced by "tweets and imaginary plans".

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at the Pope, who is American and described Trump's Iran threat last week that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" as "truly unacceptable". Trump called him "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy".

There is a strong possibility Australia could be headed for a recession if the war against Iran spills into the second half of 2026, economists have warned.

More than 200 Australian service stations are without diesel today, more than half of them in NSW.

Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, the current chief ‌of joint capabilities, will become the first woman in Australian history to lead the Army from July. The head of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, will take over as the next Chief of Defence.

Iran has threatened ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman after the US announced a blockade on Iran's ports and coastline.

"Security in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for NO ONE," according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, IRIB.

"NO PORT in the region will be safe," the Iranian military said.

Australia's shares have closed down slightly after slumping in early trade on the back of fears about the war.

Trump's ordering of a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which is due to kick in at midnight AEST, sent oil prices soaring again.

The S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.39 per cent after falling as much as 0.6 per cent earlier in the day.

The ASX was one of the first markets to open and react to the news, and was followed down by markets in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, which all fell by closer to 1 per cent.

Speaking to reporters outside Washington after flying back from Florida, Trump has been asked how long it might be before Iranian officials returned to the negotiating table amid a fragile ceasefire.

"I don't care if they come back or not," he replied.

"If they don't come back, I'm fine."

Trump said that during weekend negotiations led by US Vice President JD Vance, Iran said they were pushing for a nuclear weapon.

"They still want it, and they made that clear the other night. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," he said.

Popular rideshare company Uber is set to bring a surcharge in Australia due to the high petrol prices caused by the Middle East conflict.

Customers will be charged an extra 5c per km, unless they are travelling in electric vehicles.

A joint statement from Uber and the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) confirmed the price increase.

"Uber and the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) have been working closely together to address rising fuel costs for drivers," Emma Foley, Managing Director, Uber Australia said.

"Following constructive discussions, Uber will introduce a temporary fuel surcharge to provide driver partners temporary relief in response to the current fuel crisis."

It will start on April 15 and run until 8 June, and all the extra money will go to the drivers.

Michael Kaine, National Secretary, Transport Workers Union said: "Rideshare drivers have been struggling under skyrocketing fuel costs, and Uber's actions acknowledge this with meaningful cost relief."

President Trump said the ceasefire with Iran is "holding well" despite no deal made from weekend peace talks."Their military is destroyed, their whole navy is underwater," he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC.

There is a strong possibility Australia could be headed for a recession if the war against Iran spills into the second half of 2026, economists have warned.

Fears of a recession loom large as the battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz enters a dramatic new phase and dashes any hope of a swift end to the conflict in the Middle East.

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The two US service members who were rescued earlier this month after being shot down over Iran are doing well, President Donald Trump said on Sunday.

"They are in very good shape, and we're very proud of them," he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews after getting off Air Force One, CNN reports.

A chorus of top-ranking Iranian officials threatened retaliation over the US plan to block the Strait of Hormuz, AP reports.

Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser and a former Revolutionary Guard Commander, wrote on X that the country's armed forces had "major untouched levers" to counter a Hormuz blockade.

He said Iran would not be coerced by "tweets and imaginary plans."

Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran's side in the talks, addressed Trump in a statement on his return to Iran: "If you fight, we will fight."

Iran's Revolutionary Guard later said the strait remained under Iran's "full control" and was open for non-military vessels, but military ones would get a "forceful response," two semi-official Iranian news agencies reported.

During the 21-hour talks this weekend in Pakistan, the US military said two destroyers had transited the strait ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran denied it.