President Donald Trump said the U.S. will keep its blockade on Iran in force even though Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz fully open.
The move keeps pressure on Tehran as Washington seeks a broader settlement that would end fighting in Israel, Lebanon, and Yemen, and aims to deter Iran from further destabilising actions in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz, a 21-mile channel between Oman and Iran, carries roughly one-fifth of global petroleum shipments. Iran reopened the waterway on April 17, 2026, saying commercial traffic could resume after weeks of heightened tension.
"The blockade will remain in full force," Trump said. Iranian officials said, "Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ as negotiators race for a deal on the Iran war." Trump also welcomed Iran’s announcement that the strait was fully open while the Israel‑Lebanon ceasefire holds.
The administration also floated a potential $20 billion payment for a uranium rollback [1] — a figure that would dwarf recent sanctions relief. Trump expects a finalised deal in a day or two [2], signaling an eagerness to conclude negotiations before the summer oil‑shipping season.
Reports differ on how open the strait really is. CBS News reported Iran’s declaration of full openness, while MSN Canada observed very little traffic moving through the channel, raising doubts about the practical impact of the reopening.
“The blockade will remain in full force.”
The United States is using the blockade as leverage to extract concessions from Iran, even as Tehran signals a willingness to de‑escalate. Maintaining the economic pressure could shape the terms of any forthcoming settlement and influence global oil markets, while the mixed signals about the strait’s accessibility may affect shipping routes and regional confidence.
