Iran said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, but questions lingered Saturday about how much freedom ships actually had to transit the waterway as Tehran maintained its grip on who got through and threatened to close it again if the US kept in place its blockade of Iranian ships and ports.
Iran’s Friday announcement about the opening of the crucial body of water, through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil is shipped, came as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that ships would use routes designated by the Islamic Republic in coordination with Iranian authorities, suggesting Iran planned to retain some level of control over the channel. It was not clear if vessels would have to pay tolls.
A data firm, Kpler, said movement through the strait remained confined to corridors requiring Iran’s approval.
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said the American blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear programme.
Trump initially celebrated the Iranian announcement, posting on social media that the strait was “fully open and ready for full passage.” But minutes later, he issued another post saying the US Navy’s blockade would continue “UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”
Iranian officials said the blockade was a violation of last week’s ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US. The strait “will not remain open” if the blockade continues, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, posted on X early Saturday.
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