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  "path": "/2026/04/17/iran-declares-strait-hormuz-completely-open-rest-ceasefire-28012843/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-17T13:22:43.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "World",
    "Donald Trump",
    "Iran",
    "Iran war",
    "News Updates",
    "Breaking News",
    "April 17, 2026",
    "check our news page",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source",
    "@araghchi"
  ],
  "textContent": "The Strait of Hormuz is a small strip of water connecting the Persian Gulf to the world’s oceans (Picture: Shutterstock / lavizzara)\n\n**The Strait of Hormuz is ‘completely open’ for the duration of the ceasefire, Iran’s foreign minister has announced.**\n\nSeyed Abbas Aragchi said ‘all commercial vessels’ will be allowed to pass through the strait for the remainder of the truce.\n\nHis full post on X says: ‘In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran.’\n\nUS President Donald Trump reacted to the news with a Truth Social post saying: ‘The Strait of Hormuz is completely open and ready for business and full passage.’\n\nThe Strait of Hormuz is a small strip of water connecting the Persian Gulf to the world’s oceans.\n\nThe vital oil and gas shipping route has been effectively closed since the US-Israeli bombing campaign began at the end of February, forcing up energy and fuel prices around the world.\n\n##  Sign up for all of the latest stories\n\nStart your day informed with Metro's **News Updates** newsletter or get **Breaking News** alerts the moment it happens.\n\n> In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran.\n>\n> — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 17, 2026\n\nThe news led to sharp falls in global oil prices on the expectation of increased supply if tankers can get through.\n\nBrent crude fell more than 10% to just over 89 US dollars a barrel in afternoon trading on Friday, and stock markets across Europe also soared.\n\nThe FTSE 100 index lifted 0.6% to 10,656, while the Dax in Germany surged 2% and France’s Cac 40 was 1.7% higher.\n\nThe strait has been blockaded by Iran since the joint US-Israeli strikes on the country began at the end of February, threatening world oil supplies\n\nThe US and Iran are in the middle of a fragile truce which is due to last until April 22, while Israel and Lebanon have begun a 10-day ceasefire.\n\nThe strait had been blockaded by Iran since the beginning of the conflict in late February, threatening world oil supplies.\n\nIn retaliation, Trump has begun his own blockade of Iran’s oil ports, aimed at stemming Tehran’s fossil fuel income, and demanded allied nations help end Tehran’s stranglehold on the strait.\n\nTrump added in his Truth post that ‘the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete’.\n\n‘This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated.’\n\nThe announcement on reopening the strait came as Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a meeting in Paris aimed at safeguarding the flow of trade through the maritime chokepoint once hostilities in the Middle East cease.\n\nA vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province (Picture: Reuters)\n\nFrench President Emmanuel Macron greets British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Elysee Presidential Palace (Picture: Reuters)\n\nIn Paris, Sir Keir pledged to do ‘everything I can’ to reopen the route as he joined the international talks, which do not feature the US, Israel or Iran.\n\nFriday’s meeting at the Elysee Palace brings together 40 countries and the International Maritime Organisation to formulate plans for a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation.\n\nThe Prime Minister and the French President met in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace, Mr Macron’s official residence, where they shook hands warmly before posing for photographs.\n\nSir Keir said: ‘It is very important that we build a coalition of countries around the principle that the ceasefire should be permanent, there should be a deal, and that the Strait of Hormuz is open.’\n\nAccompanied by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton, the Prime Minister was calling for a ‘multinational initiative to protect freedom of navigation’.\n\n‘We must reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance operations to ensure a return to global stability and security,’ he said.\n\nThe talks in Paris will be followed by a multinational military planning summit at the UK’s permanent joint headquarters in Northwood, north-west London, next week.\n\nBut it remains highly unlikely that any of the countries taking part on Friday will deploy ships to the Strait of Hormuz until the war is over.\n\nSuch a move is deemed too dangerous because of the risk that vessels could be attacked from Iran’s shoreline.\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,** check our news page.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Iran declares Strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ for rest of ceasefire"
}