President Donald Trump on Friday said that the Strait of Hormuz is open to shipping again, while the United States maintains a blockade on Iranian-linked vessels during ongoing negotiations over ending the war.
“THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS AND FULL PASSAGE, BUT THE NAVAL BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.” Trump wrote on Truth Social, in one of a series of posts about the strait.
“Iran, with the help of the U.S.A., has removed, or is removing, all sea mines!” Trump wrote in another post.
The statement came after Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced that commercial vessels would be allowed to pass through the waterway during the current ceasefire period, following Lebanon’s truce with Israel. However, vessels must transit through a “coordinated route” announced by Iran’s maritime authorities, Araghchi said.
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Meanwhile, Trump posted that the deal is not “in any way” tied to Lebanon.
Israel and Lebanon agreed Thursday to a 10-day ceasefire, removing one of the main obstacles in U.S.-Iran diplomacy. Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah, one of Tehran’s closest regional allies, had become a sticking point in talks between Washington and Tehran.
The strait’s reopening, even for now, calmed energy markets. Oil prices fell more than 10% on Friday to below $90 a barrel after days of swings tied to the conflict. Before the war, about one-fifth of the world’s crude moved through the waterway, making its closure a major shock to global supply.
Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7, set to expire on Tuesday, which was contingent upon Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. But the deal quickly ran into trouble, with Iran accusing the U.S. of violating the terms by allowing Israel to continue strikes in Lebanon.
The strait has stayed mostly shut during the ceasefire as both sides argued over what the agreement required. Only a small number of commercial vessels have continued to pass through.
Talks last weekend in Pakistan between Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf did not produce a broader deal to end the war. Trump has said negotiators could meet again this weekend.
Trump said he believes there will be a deal “soon” and that “most of the points are already negotiated.” At the same time, his messaging left open multiple paths forward. He indicated the ceasefire could be extended if talks continue, but also suggested fighting could resume if negotiations break down.
In a separate post, Trump said the United States would secure all nuclear material resulting from recent strikes and emphasized that no financial concessions would be part of any agreement. He also said the situation in Lebanon would be handled separately, adding that Israel would not carry out further strikes in the country.
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