Donald Trump thanked Iran for reopening the Strait of Hormuz for shipping once again but emphasized that the US Navy will continue its blockade of Iranian ports until an agreement is reached.
On 18 Apr 2026 GMT+7, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open for trade and navigation, but the US maritime blockade will remain fully in effect against Iran until negotiations between the two sides are complete.
The US leader added that the negotiation process is expected to proceed rapidly since most key issues had already been discussed previously. Shortly before, Trump posted again stating that Iran had just declared the strait fully open.
This development followed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz would be open for commercial vessels throughout the 10-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Trump also revealed that the US and Iran might start a new round of peace talks within this weekend, claiming Iran has accepted nearly all conditions. Furthermore, Trump said Iran agreed not to possess nuclear weapons and to surrender enriched uranium stockpiles that could be used to develop nuclear arms. However, Iran has yet to officially confirm these claims.
Source: Al Jazeera