On Friday, Iran signaled it could close the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. maintains its blockade of Iranian ports, just hours after declaring the vital shipping lane open during a temporary ceasefire.
“With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,” Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said in a post on X, adding that access to the waterway could be subject to Iran’s approval.
Earlier Friday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said commercial shipping through the strait was “completely open” during a 10-day ceasefire linked to tensions between Israel and Lebanon.
US Blockade Forces Ships To Turn Back
Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command said 21 vessels have already been forced to reverse course since the blockade began earlier this week.
“21 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and return to Iran,” the command said on X.
President Donald Trump made clear the policy will remain in place until a broader agreement is reached.
“The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect … until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete,” he wrote earlier on Truth Social.
Global Stakes Rise As Tensions Escalate
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, handling a significant share of global oil shipments.
In commodities, WTI crude oil (May) fell 9.63% to $85.57 per barrel, while the June contract declined 7.86% to $84.00 per barrel, both remaining in a downtrend as of 6:44 PM EDT.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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