Tehran/Islamabad: Iran Friday said that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” for all commercial vessels, a move welcomed by US President Donald Trump.
“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.
The announcement of the reopening of the vital waterway by Araghchi comes a day after President Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.
Araghchi, however, said the ships must sail “on the coordinated route as already announced” by the Ports and Maritime Organisation of Iran.
Minutes later, President Trump also shared the announcement in a post on Truth Social.
“Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran is fully open and ready for full passage. Thank you!” Trump said, referring to the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz following its conflict with the US and Israel, crippling global energy supplies.
Trump, however, said the naval blockade against Iran will remain in “full force” until Tehran reaches an agreement with the US to end the war.
He said the Strait of Hormuz “is completely open and ready for business and full passage, but 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. This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated.”
The development comes a day after Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir held talks with top Iranian leadership in Tehran as part of Islamabad’s efforts to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran.
Munir, who led a high-level political-security delegation to Iran, met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and top Revolutionary Guards commanders on Thursday.
Ghalibaf, who had led the Iranian delegation to Pakistan for talks with the US over the weekend, has urged the US to commit to any peace agreement in Lebanon.
Munir, the first foreign military leader to visit Tehran since a two-week ceasefire was agreed between Iran and the US last week, also visited the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, where he met with its commander, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
During the meeting, he discussed with the commander of the IRGC the steps taken under the framework for ending the war and their recent talks in Tehran. The two sides discussed the situation in the region and the prospects for peace and stability, Iranian official media reported.
Munir stressed that ongoing efforts to end the war should continue.
Iranian media had reported that the purpose of the Pakistani delegation’s visit was to deliver a US message to the Iranian leadership and to plan the next round of negotiations.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has started preparing to host the second round of high-stakes talks between the US and Iran during the next week.
The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan over the weekend aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks ended early Sunday without any agreement.
Official sources in Pakistan on Friday said a feverish diplomatic activity followed to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. It was met with success as both continue to observe the temporary two-week ceasefire, allowing Pakistan to relaunch its mediatory push.
After working behind the scenes, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a tri-nation tour on Wednesday, while Field Marshal Munir travelled to Tehran.
Shehbaz, after discussion with the Saudi and Qatari leaders, on Thursday night reached Turkiye, where he met Senior Advisor to the US President for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos on Friday.
During the meeting in Antalya, PM Shehbaz and Boulos discussed “current regional developments, including Pakistan’s peace efforts that led to the ceasefire as well as the historic Islamabad Talks,” the prime minister’s office said.
According to officials in Islamabad, preparations for the second round of talks have “started in Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi as thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have started coming from other provinces.”
During the first round of talks, more than 10,000 security personnel were deployed.
There are also reports that transport companies have been approached by the Islamabad and Rawalpindi districts officials to inform them that traffic coming from other cities or leaving the twin cities may face drastic restrictions.
According to a message shared on social media, such restrictions, once imposed, may continue until the end of next week. It urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel during the next week or plan well in advance.
The chances of a peace deal got further support when President Trump told reporters on Thursday that he may travel to Islamabad if a final agreement with Iran is signed there, while claiming that Tehran has accepted “almost everything” currently under negotiation.
“If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I may go…They want me,” he told the reporters on the White House lawn before departing for Nevada and Arizona.
Trump expressed optimism about Pakistan-led diplomatic efforts to end hostilities and secure a settlement before the current ceasefire expires, indicating that he would extend it, although he suggested such a move might not be necessary if a deal is reached in time.
The conflict began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders.
The ceasefire between the US and Iran would expire on April 21.
AP