Trump Gives Major Update on Strait of Hormuz
Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell /
President Donald Trump announced Friday morning that the Strait of Hormuz is open.
“IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE,” he wrote on TruthSocial. “THANK YOU!”
A few minutes later, Trump posted that the Strait was “COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS AND FULL PASSAGE.”
The Iranian foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, confirmed this on X, saying that yesterday’s ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was connected to the strait’s reopening.
“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon,” he said, “the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran.”
Since Monday, the United States had maintained a blockade of ships connected to Iranian commerce. Trump added on Friday that “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.”
“THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED,” he wrote.
Addressing a sticking point in talks, Trump said Tehran had offered not to possess nuclear weapons for more than 20 years.
“We’re going to see what happens. But I think we’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” Trump told reporters outside the White House on Thursday.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key waterway for the global oil trade. About 25% of world seaborn oil trade transits the straight, according to the International Energy Agency, with 80% of it destined for Asia. About 19% of the world’s liquefied natural gas transits the strait as well.
Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan imported almost two-thirds of their liquefied natural gas supplies via the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, making them particularly vulnerable to Iran’s actions.
Oil prices fell sharply in late trading as Trump announced the ceasefire. West Texas Intermediate crude, the domestic benchmark, fell by more than 9% to around $102 per barrel, The New York Times reported.
Trump announced April 7 that Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz, but the crucial waterway remained heavily disrupted by the conflict.
This story is developing and will be updated.
Reuters contributed to this report.