A propaganda poster in Tehran symbolizes the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Image: Anadolu
Iran reverses its announced opening of the Strait of Hormuz after one day. This was announced by a spokesman for the armed forces headquarters, according to the Fars news agency. He cited the ongoing US blockade of Iranian ports as the reason.
April 18, 2026, 11:01 amApril 18, 2026, 11:01 am
The statement added that Iran had agreed to a controlled passage of a limited number of oil tankers and merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The USA, on the other hand, continued its blockade. For this reason, control over the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state: the strategically important strait is under the strict administration and control of the armed forces. This will not change until the United States restores the unrestricted freedom of movement of ships from Iran to their destination and from their destination back to Iran.
Iran had already warned
US President Donald Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform that the blockade would remain in place “until our agreements with Iran have been fully concluded.”
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf then warned that the Strait of Hormuz would not remain open if the US blockade of Iranian ports continued.
Rapid normalization was not in sight anyway
Even after the announcement on Friday, data providers and industry observers believe that a rapid normalization of shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for global energy trade, was not in sight. As the broadcaster CNN reports, citing traffic data, only five cargo ships and one empty cruise ship have passed through the strait since Tehran’s official clearance, but no oil tankers.
According to John-Paul Rodriguez, a shipping expert at Texas A&M University, conflicting status reports are deterring shipping companies from transit. Rodriguez told Al Jazeera: “Since the announcement, ships have been trying to pass through the strait… but it looks like many of them are turning back because the situation is unclear.” Major shipping companies would likely not feel comfortable sailing through the strait until the “current Iranian ban is fully lifted.”
Announcements in stark contrast to the situation on site
Iran closed the waterway after military clashes with Israel and the USA began on February 28, 2026. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the passage would be open to trade as part of the ceasefire. However, Tehran made this subject to conditions. Ships must therefore obtain approval from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and remain on fixed routes. It is unclear whether they also have to pay a toll.
The analysis service Kpler wrote on the X platform that the political announcements of both sides differed greatly from operational reality. A return to normality and restoring confidence in the insurance markets will take months. (sda/dpa)