Desk: Iran has claimed to have re-closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says that the Strait of Hormuz will not be fully reopened as long as the US blockade continues. This action has been taken in protest against the US action. Iran had talked about opening the Strait of Hormuz on Friday and also said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open for commercial ships during the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has stated that the US blockade will continue until Iran reaches a major agreement on its nuclear program. Trump also stated that if a deal is not reached, the US may launch another attack and seek to acquire Iran’s uranium reserves.
Earlier, some ships were seen transiting this vital sea route, but it is not yet clear how much maritime traffic has been able to pass through it. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) has accused the US of piracy, saying that the blockade is essentially piracy at sea.
Iran had previously clarified that the Strait of Hormuz is not fully open at this time. The Iranian Defense Ministry stated that the passage is open only during a ceasefire and subject to certain conditions. They stated that military vessels and ships belonging to enemy forces will not be allowed to pass through. They also stated that this arrangement could be changed if pressure increases on the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital sea route in the world. It lies between Iran and Oman and carries a significant amount of oil. Its width is approximately 33 km at its narrowest point, but the passage for ships is only about 3 km wide. Therefore, the escalating tensions here are impacting the global oil supply.
US President Donald Trump has said that if a deal isn’t reached with Iran by Wednesday, the US could resume bombing. He said the current ceasefire could be extended or even ended. Trump said, “I may not extend the ceasefire, but the blockade on Iran’s ports will continue. In that case, we may have to bomb again.”
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