The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghtschi, announced on Friday that Iran will temporarily lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. According to a statement on platform X, he wrote that “in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will be declared fully unrestricted for the remainder of the ceasefire period, using the coordinated route already designated by the Iran Islamic Republic Port and Maritime Authority”.
This statement comes after US President Donald Trump announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, which began the night before Friday. Currently, the US military has also reported that it is blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, in April, Araghtschi had stated that an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon was a prerequisite for a ceasefire with the US. At the time, referencing a tweet from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who announced a truce between Iran and the US on April 8th, the Iranian Foreign Minister wrote on X: “The conditions for a ceasefire between Iran and the US are clear and unambiguous: the US must decide-either a ceasefire or the continuation of the war over Israel. Both are impossible”. He added, “The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. Now the US is at the helm, and the world is watching to see if they will fulfill their obligations”.