Trump thanks Iran for opening Strait of Hormuz as oil prices in freefall (PHOTOS/VIDEOS)
Iran has announced that it will allow passage for “all commercial vessels” through the strategic Strait of Hormuz following the declaration of a 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. However, US President Donald Trump has vowed to maintain his blockade of Iranian ports.
The announcement was made by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who said that the strait is “completely open” for the remaining period of the truce on the route approved by the Iranian authorities. The statement marks a significant shift from Iran’s previous stance, when Tehran prohibited passage for any US or Israeli ship.
The 10-day ceasefire entered into force on Friday following several weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which claimed more than 2,000 lives in Lebanon.
Here are the latest developments:
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” to commercial vessels for the remainder of the ceasefire, which is due to expire on Tuesday
• Trump thanked Tehran and said the strait is “open and ready for business,” but added that the US naval blockade on Iran “remains in full force” until a deal is “100% complete”
• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) warned the US and Israel they will face a “regret-inducing” response if attacks continue
• A ten-day Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire came into force on Friday, with Trump insisting the group is part of the US-Iran ceasefire deal
• At least 2,196 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced in Lebanon amid Israeli airstrikes and evacuation orders to expand a “security zone”
Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here.
17 April 2026
18:52 GMTKremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev has mocked the announced “joint plan” by the UK and France to “protect freedom of navigation.” Responding to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s post on X, Dmitriev wrote that they are “bravely rushing in to open the Strait just as soon as it’s already open,” calling it an “impeccable sense of timing.”
The UK/EU are bravely rushing in to open the Strait just as soon as it’s already open. Impeccable sense of timing.👇 https://t.co/vg6C0RK4pR
— Kirill Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) April 17, 2026- 18:51 GMT
MarineTraffic has published updated playback video showing ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz on April 17 up to 15:00 GMT, illustrating vessel movements in the strategic waterway.
Updated playback video of the ship traffic in the Strait of #Hormuz on 17 April till 15:00 UTC. Video via @MarineTraffic#kpler#hormuzpic.twitter.com/8poRtkpz2b
— Nikos Pothitakis (@nikospoth) April 17, 2026 - 18:31 GMT
A full recovery of Middle East oil output could take months “once the Strait of Hormuz remains open,” with field restarts taking up to seven months, S&P Global has estimated. The firm said around 14.2 million bpd of supply has been disrupted by the Iran war and that OPEC’s March output fell to its lowest level since 1989.
Middle East oil recovery to require months, once Strait of Hormuz remains open▪️Field restarts may take up to 7 months from war’s end▪️14.2 million b/d of supply in fields disrupted by war▪️OPEC March output lowest since 1989: Platts survey🖥️Full story:… pic.twitter.com/o2aC5oUR6i
— Oil by S&P Global Energy (@SPGEnergyOil) April 17, 2026 - 17:52 GMT
Iranian MP Mahmoud Nabavian, a member of the Islamabad delegation, has said that some commercial ships will be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz “upon payment of tolls,” while dismissing Trump’s declared naval blockade as “a joke.”
- 17:11 GMT
More than 10,000 US sailors, marines, and airmen “are enforcing the naval blockade on ships attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports and coastal areas,” US Central Command has said, posting what appears to be a photo of an F/A‑18E Super Hornet on the deck of a US aircraft carrier in the region.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet taxis on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) as it sails alongside the USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), April 16. Over 10,000 U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen are enforcing the blockade against ships attempting… pic.twitter.com/yHzHPxYnzr
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 17, 2026 - 17:09 GMT
The Malta‑flagged cruise ship Celestyal Discovery has become the first passenger vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began, MarineTraffic has reported. The ship departed Dubai on April 17 after about 47 days in port and crossed the strait without passengers, according to the tracking service.
Iran’s IRGC Navy has said civilian vessels may only transit the strait under its supervision and in coordination with Iranian forces, and will be allowed to pass in line with regulations set by Tehran while the ceasefire holds.
First cruise ship transits Strait of Hormuz since conflict beganThe cruise ship Celestyal Discovery has become the first passenger vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the conflict, marking a notable shift in vessel activity in the region. The Malta-flagged… pic.twitter.com/Pm9I8Aeys7
— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) April 17, 2026 - 16:30 GMT
Trump has reportedly told Reuters that the US will work with Iran “at a nice leisurely pace” to recover enriched uranium and “bring it back to the United States,” adding that Washington will maintain its naval blockade until a final deal is reached.
- 16:02 GMT
Crude prices have continued to slide, with benchmark Brent briefly falling below $87 per barrel on the ICE exchange in London for the first time since March 11, according to trading data.
- 15:48 GMT
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Berlin is “willing to make a contribution to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” provided there is a “strong legal basis” such as a UN Security Council mandate. Merz added that any German role could include mine-clearance operations as part of what he described as an “international mission,” and said Berlin would “like to ensure participation by the United States.”
