Iran Warns It Will Close Strait of Hormuz if US Blockade Persists

Iran has issued a warning that it will close the Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

This statement came shortly after Iran temporarily reopened the strategic waterway following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon brokered by the US.

The Iranian parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that passage through the Strait of Hormuz would require Iranian authorization and that the waterway "will not remain open" if the blockade persists.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei described the US naval blockade as a violation of the ceasefire.

Since the blockade began, US forces have directed 21 ships to turn back, according to the US Central Command.

The blockade aims to pressure Iran amid ongoing negotiations, with US President Donald Trump asserting that the blockade will remain until the US's transaction with Iran is "100% complete." The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy transit route, with about one-fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas passing through it.

Its closure would have significant implications for global energy markets and geopolitical stability.

The temporary reopening of the strait raised hopes for a broader peace in the region, with Trump calling it "a great and brilliant day for the world." However, Iran pushed back on US claims regarding its enriched uranium stockpile, stating it would not be handed over.

Trump also indicated that if a long-term deal to end the conflict is not reached by the truce's expiry on April 22, the US might end the ceasefire and resume military action.

International reactions to the reopening have been largely positive.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called the move "a step in the right direction" and urged respect for international navigational rights in the strait.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who co-chaired a virtual summit of about 50 countries on the issue, emphasized the need for the reopening to become permanent.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was reported to be "very happy" about the strait's reopening or rapid opening, according to Trump.

Oil prices responded to the developments, with Brent crude falling below $90 a barrel amid hopes that energy supplies could resume after nearly two months of disruption.

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