• Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain open for commercial vessels during the ceasefire period
• Only civilian ships are allowed through approved routes with permission from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy while Military vessels are still banned from using the Strait of Hormuz
• Donald Trump welcomed the reopening but said the US blockade on Iranian ports remains in place

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced on Friday, April 17, that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would remain open to commercial vessels for as long as the ceasefire in the Middle East remains in place.

“The passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire,” Araghchi said on X.

However, it remains unclear whether he was referring to the 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which took effect at midnight, or the earlier two-week truce between Iran and the United States that began on April 8.

Iran had earlier disrupted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, sending shockwaves across the global economy and raising fears of prolonged supply shortages.

State media reported that Tehran had tied the reopening of the waterway to the extension of the ceasefire involving Lebanon.

Lebanon became involved in the wider conflict that began on February 28 after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in support of Iran.

An Iranian senior military official later clarified that only civilian vessels would be permitted to pass through designated shipping lanes and only with approval from the navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“The passage of military vessels through the Strait of Hormuz remains prohibited,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the United States President, Donald Trump, welcomed Iran’s decision to reopen the narrow waterway but insisted that the US naval blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place until a final peace agreement is reached.

“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,” Trump said on Truth Social, adding that “this process should go very quickly”.

Oil prices, which had surged during the disruption, dropped sharply after Iran announced the reopening of the Strait.

UK leads global push to reopen Strait of Hormuz amid rising oil crisis

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United Kingdom announced plans to host a virtual meeting involving about 35 nations on Thursday, April 2, to deliberate on reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which has been severely disrupted by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the initiative on Wednesday, April 1, noting that the meeting would bring together key global stakeholders to address the crisis.

Key global players in the meeting including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Netherlands pledged support.