
2 min readUpdated: Apr 17, 2026 07:06 PM IST
Iran on Friday said that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” for all commercial vessels. “In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.
He said the passage of ships would need to be along the route that Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation had announced.
Confirming the development, US President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open. Trump on Thursday announced a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. He, however, said the US blockade of Iran “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with Washington to end the war.
The US-Israeli attack on Iran, which started on February 28, has killed thousands of people and destabilised the Middle East. The conflict also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas transits, threatening the worst oil shock in history.
Oil prices fell by about 9%, extending earlier losses, following Araqchi’s post.
The International Monetary Fund this week lowered its forecasts for global growth and warned the global economy risked tipping into recession if the conflict was prolonged.
Trump had said on Thursday that talks could happen as soon as this weekend, although that was looking increasingly unlikely by Friday afternoon, given the logistics of assembling officials in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where the talks are expected to take place.
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