Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, announced on Friday that the country would begin allowing commercial vessels to transit the waterways off its coast for the rest of the Israel–Lebanon ceasefire.
The announcement, if followed through upon, could be a breakthrough for the economic downturn that has taken place since Iran effectively closed oil and gas shipping through the area in response to Israel and the United States launching their war on Feb. 28.
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Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire” between Israel and Lebanon, further intertwining the two conflicts.
“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, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran,” Araghchi posted on social media.
President Donald Trump said shortly after, “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!”
He announced on Thursday that the U.S. had brokered a ten-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran backed, U.S.-designated terrorist organization, were in the midst of their latest war and have been intermittently at war since one day after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Trump said Hezbollah is included in the ceasefire, though it’s unknown whether they will honor it.
Israeli and Lebanese officials met at the State Department on Tuesday for their first direct talks in more than thirty years, despite sharing a border. The Trump administration is attempting to broker better relations between the two countries to forge a partnership that ends Hezbollah’s – and by extension the Iranian regime – grip on Lebanon.
He announced on Thursday that the U.S. had brokered a 10-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
Trump said in a follow-up post on Friday that the U.S. blockade of ships going to and from Iranian ports will remain active since taking effect on Monday. As of Thursday, the U.S. military has deterred 13 ships that were either heading to or coming from Iranian ports.
On Tuesday, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel tried to evade the U.S. blockade after leaving Bandar Abbas, but a U.S. guided-missile destroyer successfully redirected the vessel. U.S. forces have not yet boarded a vessel that was not listening to their commands.
U.S. and Iranian officials met in Islamabad, Pakistan last weekend, though those talks ended without a resolution.
Trump said on Thursday that there may be another round of talks “probably maybe over the weekend,” while press secretary Karoline Leavitt said future negotiations would also likely take place in Islamabad.
