{"id":7216,"date":"2026-04-17T15:44:48","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T20:44:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=7216"},"modified":"2026-04-17T15:44:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T20:44:49","slug":"iran-declares-strait-of-hormuz-open-trump-signals-progress-but-no-trust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=7216","title":{"rendered":"Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz Open, Trump Signals Progress But No Trust"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz \u201ccompletely open,\u201d marking a major shift after weeks of disruption to one of the world\u2019s most vital corridors. At the same time, President Donald Trump is signaling that negotiations are advancing, even as the United States keeps military pressure firmly in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The result is a moment that looks like de-escalation on the surface, but remains tightly controlled and deeply uncertain underneath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi framed the reopening as part of the broader ceasefire environment tied to Lebanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He added that ships would move along a \u201ccoordinated route as already announced,\u201d signaling that while the strait is open, it is not entirely unrestricted. Vessels may still need to follow specific routes and coordinate their passage, particularly near Iranian waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not a full return to normal operations. It is a controlled reopening tied directly to the fragile ceasefire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Trump: Progress on a Deal, Pressure Still Applied<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>President Trump welcomed Iran\u2019s announcement, but quickly clarified that the United States is not easing its leverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTHE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS AND FULL PASSAGE,\u201d he said, before adding that the U.S. naval blockade \u201cwill remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach highlights what appears to be a two-track strategy. The U.S. is allowing global shipping to resume while continuing to isolate Iran directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump has also suggested that negotiations are close to a breakthrough, saying \u201cmost of the main points are already negotiated\u201d and indicating he may travel to finalize a deal if terms are reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What This Means for Shipping Through the Strait<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the declaration that the strait is open, shipping conditions remain complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Commercial vessels are expected to resume transit, but several uncertainties remain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ships may be required to follow Iranian-designated routes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coordination with Iranian authorities could still be necessary<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ongoing U.S. naval presence adds another layer of control<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This creates a hybrid situation where the strait is open in principle but still heavily managed in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iran has also warned that if the U.S. blockade continues, it could move to close the waterway again, raising the risk that this reopening may only be temporary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Markets Rally as Oil Prices Drop<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Markets responded immediately to the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oil prices, which had surged during the closure, fell sharply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brent crude dropped to about $89 per barrel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>West Texas Intermediate fell to around $81<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both benchmarks declined roughly 11 percent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Major stock indices also moved higher, reflecting optimism that a prolonged energy disruption may be avoided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reopening of the strait has eased fears of a global supply shock, at least for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Negotiations Moving Forward, But Not Settled<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran are ongoing but unresolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A first round of talks failed to produce a breakthrough, and no date has been set for a second round. Pakistan is acting as an intermediary, and discussions continue behind the scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are signs of progress, but also significant gaps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The future of Iran\u2019s nuclear program remains a central issue<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The long-term status of the Strait of Hormuz is still unclear<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compensation for wartime damage is under discussion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Some officials believe a deal could take months, even as public statements suggest faster movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Dispute Over \u201cNuclear Dust\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump has made bold claims about Iran\u2019s nuclear concessions, stating that the United States will take control of what he calls \u201cnuclear dust,\u201d referring to enriched uranium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe U.S.A. will get all Nuclear \u2018Dust,\u2019 created by our great B2 Bombers \u2014 No money will exchange hands,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He has also suggested that Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely and that U.S. teams would help recover uranium stockpiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, Iran has not confirmed these claims, leaving a major question mark over one of the most critical elements of the negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Israel, Hezbollah, and a Fragile Pause<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reopening of the strait is closely tied to a 10 day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which has temporarily reduced tensions involving Hezbollah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump has said that Israel will halt bombing in Lebanon, calling the moment a step toward ending the broader conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But conditions on the ground remain unstable:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Israel continues to hold positions in southern Lebanon<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hezbollah has not fully committed to the ceasefire<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sporadic violence has already been reported<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Israeli officials have made clear that their campaign is not over, suggesting the ceasefire may be more of a pause than a lasting solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, Iran is declaring victory by reopening the strait, while the United States is maintaining pressure and claiming progress toward a deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Strait of Hormuz is once again moving oil and cargo, but under tight oversight and lingering threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NP Editor:<\/strong> We believe Trump is operating cautiously because we don&#8217;t yet know the capability of Iran to attach ships.  The IRGC still exists and could easily convert to a massive terrorist operation if we are not careful.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In our opinion, there is less than a 50% chance that these negotiations will end the war. But while the complete destruction of the military did not end the war, the blockade seems to have motivated others within Iran to pressure the government, such that it is, to move forward with negotiations.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Botom line, again in our opinion, is that we should give them nothing and focus on locating leadership, finding someone moderate who can commend the IRGC, and taking out the rest of the leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz \u201ccompletely open,\u201d marking a major shift after weeks of disruption to one of the world\u2019s most vital corridors. At the same time, President Donald Trump is signaling that negotiations are advancing, even as the United States keeps military pressure firmly in place. The result is a moment that looks like de-escalation on the surface, but remains tightly controlled and deeply uncertain underneath. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi framed the reopening as part of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7217,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,21,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east","category-threat-to-america","category-trump"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iranminitersgchf.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7216"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7218,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7216\/revisions\/7218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}