Shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Friday that the Strait of Hormuz had been declared fully open, US President Donald Trump said the naval blockade would remain in place until the US-Iran deal was 100 percent complete.
Trump issued the warning in a post on Truth Social on Friday, writing: “The Strait of Hormuz is fully open and ready for business and full passage, but the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it only applies to Iran until our transaction with Iran is 100% complete. This process should go very quickly as most points are already negotiated.”
His remarks came after Araghchi announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since March, days after the US and Israel went to war against Iran. In retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) closed the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a key waterway transporting about a fifth of the world’s oil.
Earlier today, Abbas Araghchi announced in a post on X: “In accordance with the ceasefire in Lebanon, passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared fully open for the remainder of the ceasefire period, on a coordinated route as already announced by the ports and maritime organizations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Navigation through Hormuz will be coordinated with the IRGC
According to a Reuters report, a senior Iranian official said the passage through Hormuz would be in coordination with the Islamic Republic and the IRGC. However, there is no official confirmation of this yet.
The US enforces a naval blockade
Trump announced a US military blockade of ships sailing through the strait to Iranian ports on April 12, hours after it was reported that talks with Iran in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad had ended without a deal.
How did the US enforce a naval blockade?
According to the US Central Command post on X, more than 10,000 personnel and more than 100 fighter and surveillance aircraft, along with more than 12 warships, were conducting the naval blockade mission. US Central Command noted that no Iranian ships would be allowed in or out of the ports, and that this was imposed impartially on vessels of all nations.
Will the US and Iran reach a deal soon?
Earlier on Thursday, the US president said talks with Tehran could take place as early as this weekend, reviving hopes of extending a ceasefire and ending a six-week conflict that has rocked global energy markets.
According to Reuters, despite Trump’s optimism, Iranian sources said on Friday that some “loopholes” remained to be worked out before a tentative deal could be reached, and senior clerics leading Friday prayers appeared defiant.
A Pakistani source involved in mediation talks between the US and Iran told Reuters on Friday that progress had been made in backdoor diplomacy and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), followed by a comprehensive agreement within 60 days.
The source said: “The two sides will agree in principle. And the technical details will come later,” adding that one of the key issues was Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, with the US proposing a 20-year freeze on all Iranian nuclear activity at talks last weekend. Tehran proposed a three- to five-year freeze.
