Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi today said that the Islamic Republic has opened passage for all ships to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz via a coordinated route, until the duration of the recently announced Israel–Lebanon ceasefire.
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 said in a post on X.
Iran had previously declared it mandatory that any vessel not related to the US or Israel, which sought passage through the narrow maritime corridor, seek permission from Tehran or otherwise they will be subject to military action as well as charged fines.
Araghchi’s comments on a “coordinated route” refer specifically to the route outlined in a map issued by the Iranian shipping ministry, designed as a safe corridor to help commercial vessels avoid the plethora of sea mines present in the main shipping channels.
The Lebanon-Israel ceasefire is to last 10 days, after it took effect on Friday. The separate two-week ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran is set to expire on Tuesday, though as per Araghchi’s post, this wouldn’t affect passage, and will last till the 10-day ceasefire holds.
US President Donald Trump had extended his gratitude to Iran on Friday for its announcement that the Strait of Hormuz was reopened to all shipping traffic, on a post on social media.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!”
Trump further added that while the Strait of Hormuz “is completely open and ready for business”, following Iran’s announcement, the US blockade of Iranian ports, vessels, and ships from other countries carrying suspected contraband would remain in place until “OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”
“THE NAVAL BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED.”
Voicing optimism over the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, and a halt in the fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah, Trump suggested that Washington and Tehran could use this period of quiet to hammer out a broader, and more durable peace deal to end the war, and put an end to all hostilities.
