Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the Strait of Hormuz was open following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, while U.S. President Donald Trump said talks could take place this weekend and he believed a deal to end the Iran war would come “soon.”
Araqchi said in a post on X the Strait was open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the U.S.-brokered 10-day truce agreed on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon to halt fighting between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Trump told Reuters on Friday that the U.S. will work with Iran to recover its enriched uranium and bring it back to the United States as part of any deal.
U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, triggering Iranian attacks on Gulf neighbors and reigniting the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon.
Thousands have been killed and the conflict effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz – through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually transits – threatening the worst oil shock in history.
OIL PRICES TUMBLE, STOCKS JUMP
Oil prices fell more than 10%, extending earlier losses after Araqchi’s post. Global stocks, already trading near record highs, jumped further on the news.
Major shipping companies reacted more cautiously, signaling it may take more time for traffic through the chokepoint to return to normal levels – about 130 ships a day before the war.
Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd said it would refrain from passing through the strait while it assessed the announcement. The Norwegian Shipowners’ Association said several issues needed clarification, including the possible presence of sea mines.
The U.S. Navy warned in an advisory to seafarers that the mine threat in parts of the waterway was not fully understood and avoidance of the area should be considered.
A senior Iranian official said ships could pass through the Strait only under coordination with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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After a video conference on Friday, more than a dozen countries said they were willing to join an international mission to protect shipping in the Strait when conditions permit, Britain said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who participated in the talks, said in a statement from his office that Canada “stands ready” to help ensure safe passage through diplomatic efforts, and to provide “support for crew safety and security,” but did not mention the prospect of military assistance.
“Prime Minister Carney urged all parties to remain engaged in negotiations and to avoid actions that could further destabilize the region,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in its readout of the discussion.
US BLOCKADE REMAINS IN PLACE
Shortly after Araqchi’s statement, Trump posted on Truth Social: “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR PASSAGE.”
However, he said the U.S. military blockade of ships sailing through the Strait to Iranian ports – announced after talks with Iran last weekend in Islamabad ended without agreement – would remain until “our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.”
An Iranian official later told Fars news agency Tehran would consider the Strait’s continued blockade by U.S. forces a violation of the ceasefire and would again close the waterway.
Trump told Reuters on Friday there could probably be more talks this weekend. Some diplomats said that was looking unlikely given the logistics of assembling officials in the Pakistani capital, where the talks are expected to take place.
DIPLOMACY PROGRESS
A Pakistani source involved in mediating between the U.S. and Iran said there was progress in backdoor diplomacy and that an upcoming meeting could result in the signing of a memorandum of understanding, followed by a comprehensive deal within 60 days.
“Both sides are agreeing in principle. And technical bits come later,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters there had been an agreement on unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets, as part of the accord to reopen the Strait, without giving a timeline.
One key sticking point has been Tehran’s nuclear program. At last weekend’s talks, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.
Iran has demanded the lifting of international sanctions, while Washington has pressed for any highly enriched uranium to be removed from Iran. Two Iranian sources have said there were signs of a compromise on the HEU stockpile, with Tehran considering shipping part of it out of the country.
Trump told Reuters the U.S. would bring Iran’s enriched uranium back to the United States. “We’re going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery… We’ll bring it back to the United States,” he said during a phone interview.
He mentioned “nuclear dust,” a reference to what he believes remains after the United States and Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear installations in June last year.
Despite Trump’s optimism, Iranian sources told Reuters on Friday that “gaps remained to be resolved” before reaching a preliminary deal, while senior clerics struck a defiant tone during Friday prayers.
In Tehran, cleric Ahmad Khatami said: “Our people do not negotiate while being humiliated,” while in Isfahan, the imam said: “We did not accept the terms proposed by the other party.”
In Islamabad, troops were deployed along routes into the capital on Friday, though roads remained open and the government had not ordered business closures, as it did ahead of the previous meeting.
LEBANON CEASEFIRE GOES INTO EFFECT
The U.S.-backed ceasefire agreed between Israel and Lebanon to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to be largely holding on Friday, despite Lebanese Army reports of some Israeli violations. Paramedics said an Israeli drone strike killed one person in southern Lebanon.
The conflict was reignited on March 2 when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel in support of Tehran, prompting an Israeli offensive that authorities say has killed nearly 2,300 people.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the reported ceasefire violations on Friday.
—With additional files from Global News
If there was still a toll it would have been mentioned on the news when all the shipping companies report it, moron. Face it, your favorite radical muslim regime is losing, bwana4. lol
No mention of whether Iran’s toll on ships was still in place; quite probably.
I’m an idiot. It’s taken about 50 people online and in real life to explain to me how the Iranian regime is caving in to the fact that the naval blockade is destroying their economy, which depends almost entirely on shipping oil by sea. If Iran didn’t cave, they would still just be threatening ships instead of declaring to the world the Strait is open and safe. They got screwed, losing half a billion dollarsa per day. Their problem is that the blockade stays until they give in to Trump’s other demands, like their uranium. Iran is screwed because it’s ruled by a religious dictatorship. No 72 virgins for the Regime leaders after they’re all dead!
So Trump blockades the straight for Iranian regime ships while opening to the rest of the world and now suddenly the Ayatollah wants it open?
Too funny. This dictatorship is clearly on its last legs despite what Iran’s paid commenters on here say.
Try This
April 17, 2026 at 11:53 am
Wahhhh Orange man bad Wahhhh!
He’s a big bad man who started it but yet Iran’s been screaming death to America for 47 years but yes Trump started it all.
Wrong he’s the one who is finishing it once and for all get your facts straight, your TDS has clouded your judgement.
Try This
April 17, 2026 at 10:21 am: Why are you not using your own id? Am I so good you have to copy me!
Iran did not cave in. They kept the blockade until Trump told Israel to quit bombing Lebanon. Of course what Trump is trying to do keeping his blockade in place is as strange as calling it in the first place.
Hope he gets over himself soon… What am I saying!!!
William: Looks like some of us pay attention to what is going on. Remember Trump started this. Why would you think he is good if he obeys his people and goes home?
People in these comments have zero clue of what is going on!!!
LOL!!! Just orange man bad huh??? Idiots!
Trump is constantly showing its enemies how to fight them. They are not scared of him anymore. It will be harder for the US to push countries around. Some have moved on from the US. But then again the US, under Trump got a bunch of fine countries to join them in replacement from the board of peace and made some bucks for himself. LOL!
Don’t mind me, i’m just really pissed that the Iranian regime caved in. But I guess it was inevitable as what was left of their economy was being detsoryed by the blockade, being unable to ship their oil out. Trump wins again. Now Iran will have to agree to all his remaining terms, otherwise the blockade stays put. I guess in the meantime the Iranian regime can stone some women to death there over their clothes. That’d be nice.
As predicted, the opening of the strait was being held up by Israel not obeying the ceasefire negotiated between US and Iran. Trump gets Israel to quit attacking Lebanon, then the strait opens.
Now we need to get Trump to lift his blockade so the maritime traffic can flow again.
Seeing as Trump blockaded the strait because he wanted to show that he was stronger than Iran, it should be open RSN. – of course with TACO one never knows. He might just be bowing under pressure.