Iran said Friday that commercial vessels can again transit the Strait of Hormuz under routes coordinated with Iranian authorities for the duration of a ceasefire, a claim echoed by U.S. President Donald Trump. But shipping risks — including concerns over sea mines and unclear security conditions — have kept many operators cautious, even as the United States maintains a blockade on traffic to and from Iranian ports.
Iran said Friday it had reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, seeking to ease disruptions to a critical global energy corridor after weeks of conflict-related restrictions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the passage was “completely open” for commercial vessels for the remaining period of the ceasefire and that ships would use routes designated in coordination with Iranian authorities. The Associated Press also reported U.S. President Donald Trump and Araghchi both publicly described the strait as open. (apnews.com)
Even with the announcement, maritime-security concerns remained. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has condemned threats and attacks on shipping in the area and has called for a safe-passage framework, while the IMO’s secretary-general said no country can legally prohibit freedom of navigation in international waterways and emphasized the need for security for ships and crews before normal operations resume. (imo.org)
The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports also continued to shape operators’ risk calculations. U.S. naval reporting and maritime-focused coverage have described Washington enforcing restrictions on commercial traffic tied to Iranian ports, and Iran has warned it could reimpose restrictions on the strait if the blockade remains. (news.usni.org)
No independent, widely corroborated reporting found in major outlets confirmed several specific claims circulating in commentary about the reopening — including that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had formally placed transit terms “under verification” by the IMO, or that a global shipping association had issued member guidance citing Iranian-laid mines using the language described. Public reporting that did emerge from the IMO and other outlets focused instead on legal principles of navigation, the need for safety and security assurances, and ongoing operational uncertainty in the region. (euronews.com)
