Politics
BREAKING: Iran Caves To Trump, Opens Strait Of Hormuz
Iran signaled a major shift Friday, declaring the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon takes hold.
“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire,” Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post. He added that ships must follow a “coordinated route” set by Iran’s maritime authorities.
The move drew a quick response from Donald Trump, who thanked Iran publicly. Markets reacted just as fast, with oil prices plunging more than 11% on the news as fears of supply disruptions eased.
The announcement comes a day after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire set to begin at 5 p.m. ET Thursday. Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hezbollah — a key Iranian ally — had been a central sticking point in backchannel talks between Washington and Tehran.
🚨 BREAKING: The STRAIT OF HORMUZ is OPEN
President Trump WINS!
“IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE.”
Gas about to PLUMMET!
Checkmate. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/oJnnsgZZZT
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 17, 2026
Trump had previously agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7 tied to Iran reopening the strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. But tensions flared almost immediately. Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the U.S. of violating the deal by allowing Israel’s operations in Lebanon to continue.
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As a result, the waterway remained largely restricted in recent days, with only a handful of commercial vessels passing through daily despite the ceasefire framework.
Efforts to lock in a broader agreement have so far fallen short. Talks last weekend in Pakistan between Vice President JD Vance and Ghalibaf failed to produce a breakthrough on ending the U.S.-Iran conflict.
Trump said negotiators from both sides could meet again this weekend in Pakistan for another round of high-stakes discussions, with the status of the strait and regional fighting still hanging in the balance.
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