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Strait of Hormuz closed after US fails to meet obligations, Iranian state media claims
Published 10:43 18 Apr 2026 BST
Updated 10:47 18 Apr 2026 BST
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We're back to where it started
The Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, Iranian media have said, blaming the US for not meeting its obligations.
On Saturday, Iran’s military said that the Strait is closed again because the US refused to lift its sea blockade of Iranian Gulf ports.
This means the key shipping lane “is now closed again and passage requires IRAN approval”, Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB said.
Shortly after the joint US-Israeli attacks on 28 February, Iran had declared the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed.
Later, Iranian officials specified that passage was possible with Iranian approval but not for “hostile” ships affiliated with the US and Israel.
In practice, very few ships have passed through, as the disruption impacted global economies and sent energy prices soaring.
Iran lifted the blockade on Friday, with the country’s foreign minister saying that the Strait was fully open to commercial vessels, reinforcing hopes for an eventual end to the war in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump thanked Iran for opening the Strait but warned that until a deal is reached, the retaliatory US blockade of ships entering and exiting Iranian ports “will remain in full force”.
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