Iran announced on Friday (April 17) that the Strait of Hormuz has been reopened for commercial shipping for the remainder of the 10-day ceasefire period in Lebanon, which has temporarily halted fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
The move comes as part of the fragile truce supported by the United States, aimed at reducing tensions in the region after weeks of escalating conflict involving Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran.
US President Donald Trump welcomed the announcement on social media but stressed that the US naval blockade on vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports would remain in effect until a formal peace agreement is reached with Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on social media platform X that the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical routes for global oil and gas transportation, had been “declared fully open” through coordinated maritime routes previously announced by Iranian authorities.
Trump also claimed that Iran had agreed it would “never again” use the strategic waterway as leverage against the international community.
“The strait will no longer be used as a weapon against the world,” Trump wrote, adding that Iran, with US assistance, was in the process of clearing naval mines from the area.
However, the full details of the reopening remain unclear.
Following Araghchi’s statement, major US crude oil futures contracts dropped by more than 10 percent, falling below $90 per barrel, reflecting market optimism over improved shipping access through the key energy corridor.
Most of the Strait of Hormuz had been blocked by Iran since late February, following military actions launched against the country by the United States and Israel.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who also leads the country’s negotiation team, rejected Trump’s claims and accused the US president of spreading false information.
“The US president made seven claims in one hour, and all of them were false,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.
He further emphasized that the strait would not remain open if the US naval blockade continues, signaling that tensions between Tehran and Washington remain far from resolved despite the temporary ceasefire.
