STRAIT OF HORMUZ: BRIEF OPENING REVERSED AS IRAN AND U.S. TRADE CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS
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| STRAIT OF HORMUZ: BRIEF OPENING REVERSED AS IRAN AND U.S. TRADE CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS |
The Strait of Hormuz — one of the world's most critical oil and gas shipping lanes — experienced less than 24 hours of declared openness before Iran's military moved to reverse the announcement, leaving global markets and shipping companies in fresh uncertainty.
The Opening Declaration
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the Strait of Hormuz was "completely open" for all commercial vessels, and would remain so during the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.
Global markets reacted sharply to the news. Stocks surged and the price of oil dropped by 12%, though shipping companies noted that outstanding questions still needed to be answered before operations could resume normally.
Trump's Conditional Welcome
President Donald Trump welcomed Iran's announcement but immediately attached conditions. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz was "completely open and ready for business," but stated that the U.S. naval blockade would "remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete."
Iran Reverses Course
Within hours, Tehran pushed back hard against what it described as misrepresentation. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz had returned to its previous state of "strict management," citing what it described as Washington's repeated breaches of commitments through its continued naval blockade of Iranian ports. The IRGC accused U.S. forces of "piracy" under the so-called blockade.
Iran's joint military command stated that its "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state… under strict management and control of the armed forces," warning it would continue to block transit for as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in place.
Background: How the Crisis Began
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked by Iran since February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched an air campaign against Iran, which also included the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, U.S. military bases, and U.S.-allied Gulf states. The IRGC issued warnings forbidding passage through the strait and has carried out 21 confirmed attacks on merchant ships. Sea mines have also reportedly been laid in the waterway.
Before the crisis, roughly 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade and 20% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) passed through the strait. The warnings and attacks on vessels prompted major shipping firms to suspend operations entirely.
The U.S. Blockade
The U.S. military stated that its blockade of Iranian ports "has been fully implemented" and that U.S. forces "have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea," confirming it had turned back at least 10 ships since the blockade began.
Diplomacy Ongoing
Pakistan's army chief recently concluded a three-day trip to Iran while working to arrange a second round of U.S.-Iranian ceasefire negotiations, after talks in Islamabad last week failed to produce a deal.
The Bottom Line: The Strait of Hormuz remains under contested control. Iran's Foreign Minister opened it; Iran's military closed it again. The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports continues. Negotiations are ongoing but no binding agreement has been reached. The situation remains fluid as of Saturday, April 18, 2026.
Sources: Al Jazeera, NBC News, The New Region, Irish Times, Wikipedia (2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis)
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