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Informist, Friday, Apr. 17, 2026

--Iran minister: Strait of Hormuz to be open till Lebanon ceasefire in place 

NEW DELHI – Marking a significant development to ease maritime disruption in one of the world's most strategic waterways, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi Friday said that the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz has been declared fully open for the remaining period of the Lebanon ceasefire. Oil prices, which had surged following the closure of the strait, cooled off immediately. 

"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, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Araghchi said in a post on X. 

Soon after, the US President Donald Trump also announced the development on his social media site, Truth Social. Following the news, crude oil prices dropped to less than $90 a barrel from $95 a barrel earlier. The world is currently facing one of the worst energy crises in decades, following Tehran shutting the Strait of Hormuz after Israel and the US launched joint military strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. A fifth of global crude oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Oil prices surged to as much as $120 per barrel soon after the war broke out, from the level of $73 a barrel before Feb. 28. 

Trump had on Thursday announced a 10-day ceasefire deal between Lebanon and Israel and said that Washington was trying to set up the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the two countries to directly negotiate for an end to the hostilities. Tehran has insisted that a ceasefire in Lebanon is a must to agree to a broader end of the war. Even earlier, Tehran had agreed to open the strait following an agreement between Iran and the US for a ceasefire, but had closed it in less than 24 hours after Israeli strikes killed more than 100 people in Lebanon.

According to the US' ceasefire document, a 10-day ceasefire has been agreed on by Lebanon and Israel beginning from Thursday. "This initial period may be extended by mutual agreement between Lebanon and Israel if progress is demonstrated in the negotiations and as Lebanon effectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty," the document said. 

Trump, in a separate post Friday, said that while the strait is "completely open for business and full passage", Washington's naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran. "Until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete," he wrote. This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated", he said.

After negotiators failed to reach a peace deal with Iran, Trump announced Monday that the US Navy will implement a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports. "The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman," US Central Command forces had said.  End

US$1 = INR 92.93

Reported by Priyasmita Dutta

Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj

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