On Saturday, Iran’s military declared that it had reinstated strict controls over the Strait of Hormuz, reversing a prior announcement regarding the waterway’s openness for commercial shipping. This abrupt change came just a day after Iranian officials indicated the strait would be accessible during a ceasefire period.
Officials attributed this decision to what they called breaches of trust by the United States, particularly the ongoing naval blockade of Iranian ports. This military action occurred shortly after initial reports suggested the strait was reopening.
Shipping sources reported that Iranian gunboats engaged with at least one tanker trying to navigate the area, prompting some vessels to change course. Iranian command emphasized that the strait would be under its complete control and that access to ships would remain conditional.
Negotiation Tensions
The stance taken by Iranian officials is a dramatic shift from the announcement made by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who declared the strait open for commercial navigation just before the ceasefire began, which was connected to a temporary truce between Israel and Hezbollah.
President Donald Trump welcomed the initial announcement, expressing optimism that negotiations with Iran were progressing smoothly. He mentioned that a substantial agreement could be reached quickly, suggesting a meeting between negotiators might take place over the weekend in Islamabad.
Claims and Rejections
Trump implied that Iran had made critical concessions, including the transfer of enriched uranium, but Iranian officials refuted these claims. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei asserted that Iran’s enriched uranium would not be transferred and that such a discussion had never occurred.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf criticized aspects of Trump’s statements as misleading, asserting that the strait’s reopening was tied to U.S. compliance with ceasefire conditions. He noted that the naval blockade was perceived as a violation of the agreement.
As negotiations progress slowly, Iranian leaders expressed their determination to retain control over the strait until a favorable resolution is achieved. Later, Trump acknowledged Iran’s recent move but maintained that negotiations were still on track.
He reiterated that the U.S. blockade would remain until a comprehensive deal was finalized and hinted that the existing ceasefire set to end soon might not be renewed if a resolution wasn’t found.
