WASHINGTON, April 17– U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is completely open, but the U.S. naval blockade against Iran will “remain in full force.”
“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 percent complete,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated,” Trump said.
Trump’s remarks came after Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on social media platform X that the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire in Lebanon.
Trump also said that he had received a call from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “asking if we would need some help,” but he rejected the offer and described NATO as “a paper tiger.”
Trump further said that the United States had “prohibited” Israel from carrying out further strikes in Lebanon following a ceasefire deal, adding that Washington would work with Lebanon to “deal with” Hezbollah.
On Thursday, Trump said that the United States and Iran will “probably, maybe” resume in-person talks over this weekend as efforts are still made to reach a deal to end the conflict.
Trump said he would consider visiting Pakistan if a peace deal is reached between the two sides to end the weeks-long conflict.
“If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go,” Trump told reporters at the White House. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
