According to statements from Trump and Iran's Foreign Minister on Friday, the 10-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has taken effect, and the Strait of Hormuz is now fully reopened for commercial vessels. On the same day, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz began to slowly rebound. Trump also posted on "Truth Social" that the U.S. maritime blockade against Iranian vessels remains in place. Affected by this news, oil prices plummeted significantly.
Trump further stated that Iran is currently clearing mines in the strait, a move that "will expand commercial shipping traffic through this critical waterway." However, commercial shipping companies said they remain cautious about resuming normal operations through the strait, citing the lack of security guarantees and the ongoing need to complete mine clearance. Trump also claimed that the U.S. could cooperate with Iran to remove its enriched uranium stockpile.
Nevertheless, Iranian Islamic Parliament Speaker Kalibaf posted early on the 18th via social media, stating that all seven statements Trump released within one hour on social media platforms were "entirely false." He warned that if the U.S. continues to block Iranian ports, the Strait of Hormuz cannot remain open. He emphasized that passage through the Strait must follow "designated routes" and under "Iranian authorization," with the strait’s openness and related regulations determined by on-the-ground conditions rather than social media announcements. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also clarified that shipping through the Strait must proceed along routes pre-established by Iran; if the U.S. maritime blockade against Iranian ports persists, Iran will take reciprocal measures. Iran, he stated, is the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and will exercise discretion in granting passage when necessary. A senior official from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps asserted that all vessels passing through the Strait must obtain permission from the Revolutionary Guard. Another Iranian official confirmed that all merchant ships, including those flying the American flag, are allowed to pass, but warships will not be permitted.
Trump also claimed on the same day that "Iran has agreed never to close the Strait of Hormuz again." This statement was met with fierce criticism from Iran’s presidential spokesman, who dismissed it as "baseless rhetoric from an adversary." He stressed that the conditional and limited reopening of certain areas of the Strait was entirely Iran’s own initiative—an act that carries responsibility and serves to test the other side’s commitment. "Should they renege on their promises, serious consequences will follow."
In an interview with AXIOS, Trump said that U.S.-Iran negotiators might meet over the weekend, and he expected both sides to finalize a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict. Recently, Trump claimed he personally communicated with Iranian officials, adopting a notably optimistic tone, asserting, "We’ll reach an agreement within one or two days." However, according to informed sources, despite significant progress in negotiations, the U.S. and Iran are nearing a three-page peace proposal but still have major disagreements on key issues. One point under discussion is whether the U.S. will unfreeze $20 billion in Iranian assets in exchange for Iran abandoning its enriched uranium stockpile. While progress has been continuous this week, substantial differences remain. If an agreement is reached under these terms, the war would end—but it could also trigger opposition from hardliners in the U.S. Regarding the proposed compromise, part of the highly enriched uranium would be transferred to a third country (not necessarily the U.S.), while another portion would undergo dilution processing within Iran under international supervision. The draft agreement under negotiation also includes provisions for Iran to "voluntarily" suspend its nuclear enrichment activities, though there remains disagreement over how many years such a suspension would last.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862776683390282/
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