The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, has once again become the volatile epicenter of the United States-Israel war on Iran. A tense standoff between Washington and Tehran is significantly complicating efforts to bring an end to the conflict.
Iran on Saturday reversed its earlier decision regarding the reopening of the strait. Its military subsequently opened fire on a ship attempting to traverse the waterway, following US President Donald Trump’s declaration that Washington would maintain its blockade on Iranian ports.
Trump has reiterated his refusal to lift the blockade until a comprehensive deal is finalized. He stated on Saturday that while “very good” discussions have taken place, Washington will not be “blackmailed.”
Following a brief surge in transit attempts on Saturday, vessels in the Persian Gulf once again ceased movement. This halt came after reports emerged of ships being fired upon mid-passage and subsequently forced to retreat.
This withdrawal of ships effectively restored the strait to its pre-ceasefire status, thereby escalating the risk of a worsening global energy crisis and increasing the likelihood of renewed hostilities.
Here is what you need to know:
What has Iran said?
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Friday that the strait would be open for commercial vessels during the truce, which is set to conclude on April 22, in “line with the ceasefire in Lebanon.”
However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) subsequently declared a clear reversal of Iran’s position, stating that the Strait of Hormuz would not revert to its “previous state” amidst the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports.
The IRGC’s joint military command accused the US of “continued acts of piracy and maritime theft under the guise of a so-called blockade.”
“For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is now under strict management and control by the armed forces,” stated the IRGC, as cited by Iranian broadcaster IRIB.
The statement further added, “Until the United States restores full freedom of navigation for vessels traveling from Iran to their destinations and back, the status of the Strait of Hormuz will remain tightly controlled and in its previous condition.”
Iran’s Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who serves as Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the US, asserted that it was “impossible for others to pass” the strategic strait without Iran’s consent. He characterized Washington’s blockade as “ignorant” and “foolish,” emphasizing that Tehran would not permit others to transit the strait if its own ships were blocked.
On Saturday, Ghalibaf noted that significant differences persist, despite some progress towards a potential deal.
What has the US said?
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, the US president accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement. He also announced that US negotiators would travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Monday to pursue a deal.
“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable deal, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge, in Iran,” he warned in the post.
Iran responded on Sunday by stating it was tightening its control over the waterway once again, in direct response to the US blockade of Iranian ports, which commenced on April 14. Tehran maintains that this blockade contravenes the terms of the ceasefire.
Trump had previously stated on Saturday that the US was engaged in “very good conversations” with Iran, but he also highlighted Tehran’s desire to again close the vital oil corridor, asserting that Iran could not “blackmail” the US with such a move.
What is happening in the strait right now?
Lloyd’s List, a prominent maritime intelligence firm, reported that traffic in the Strait of Hormuz had come to a complete halt after Iranian forces fired upon several ships on Saturday.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency confirmed receiving a report of a tanker being fired upon by what it identified as two gunboats linked to the IRGC.
Concurrently, India summoned the Iranian ambassador in New Delhi to express profound concern after two Indian-flagged ships reportedly came under fire in the strait, according to the Indian government.
Abas Aslani, a senior fellow at the Centre for Middle East Strategic Studies in Tehran, observed that both sides are “engaging in war rhetoric ahead of any possible escalation and military conflict.”
“It seems that they are pressuring each other to win concessions – and we are not there yet,” Aslani told Al Jazeera.
He added, “There are speculations that maybe the US is possibly planning to engage in limited strikes against Iran, but Iran has been saying that it will retaliate strongly. This might end again in a wider conflict.”
What are other sticking points between the US and Iran?
Nuclear enrichment
The most significant point of contention revolves around the hardening positions concerning Iran’s nuclear program, with Tehran’s nuclear enrichment capability being a primary concern.
On Friday, Trump declared that Washington would obtain Iran’s enriched uranium, dismissively referring to it as “nuclear dust” and referencing the 440kg (970lbs) believed to be buried at sites hit by US strikes last year. He reiterated on Truth Social that “the USA will get all Nuclear ‘Dust’.”
Speaking to Reuters news agency, Trump indicated that the US would work with Iran “at a nice leisurely pace” and “start excavating with big machinery” to recover the material.
In a direct rebuke to Trump, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Washington had no justification for depriving Iran of its nuclear rights.
“Trump says Iran cannot make use of its nuclear rights, but doesn’t say for what crime. Who is he to deprive a nation of its rights?” Pezeshkian questioned, as reported by the Iranian Students’ News Agency.
Israel and the US have consistently accused Iran of enriching uranium to develop nuclear weapons. However, Iran asserts that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes and that it has upheld its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of US National Intelligence, testified to Congress in March 2025 that the US “continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.”
Khamenei was killed on February 28 in US and Israeli strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei has been named his successor.
Lebanon
A ceasefire in Lebanon had also been a crucial Iranian demand before it agreed to the two-week truce between the US-Israeli side and Iran.
While a 10-day ceasefire is technically in effect between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, it remains highly fragile. Israel has conducted strikes despite the truce, and its forces have established a Gaza-like “yellow line” to create a buffer zone.
The truce was declared just days after Lebanon and Israel held their first direct negotiations in decades in Washington. According to Iran’s FM Araghchi, the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz was a direct response to the ceasefire being extended to Lebanon.
Hezbollah has vehemently condemned the ceasefire agreement as “an insult to our country” and “a slippery slope with no end in sight.”
“A ceasefire means a complete cessation of all hostilities,” the Lebanon-based group stated. “Because we do not trust this enemy, the resistance fighters will remain in the field, ready to respond to any violations of the aggression. A ceasefire cannot be unilateral; it must be mutual.”
Hezbollah is Tehran’s most potent regional ally and a foundational pillar of the “axis of resistance” – a network of armed groups across the Middle East aligned with Iran against Israel, including Yemen’s Houthis and several factions in Iraq.
The group joined the fighting after the Israeli army killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei in its initial strikes on Tehran.
#StraitOfHormuz #USIranStandoff #MiddleEastConflict #OilChokepoint #IranBlockade #NuclearProgram #Hezbollah #GlobalEnergy #IRGC #Diplomacy
