April 19, 2026 | 07:39 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran has announced the re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing it as a response to the ongoing blockade of its ports by the United States.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran (IRGC) on Saturday, April 1, 2026, as reported by Al Jazeera, asserted that the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its "previous state" under the control of the "armed forces." This statement refers to the ongoing US blockade of Iranian ports.
"Control over the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is now under strict military management and control," a joint IRGC command stated, as quoted by Tasnim news agency.
The IRGC emphasized that until the US "fully restores the freedom of movement of ships to and from Iran," the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain under close and unchanged supervision.
A tanker and a container ship each reported attacks while crossing the Strait of Hormuz as reported by CNN on Saturday. This incident occurred after the Iranian military reinstated restrictions on the vital waterway, citing "repeated breaches of trust" by the US.
The IRGC's statement came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is "fully open" to all commercial ships.
This decision was made "in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon," he said via the X social media platform.
By Saturday at 10:30 GMT, at least eight oil and gas tankers had crossed the strait, but it appeared that the same number of ships had turned back after starting to leave the Persian Gulf.
Peace Agreement
This closure casts doubt on the optimism expressed by US President Donald Trump the day before, that a peace agreement to end the US-Israel war in Iran was "very close."
Trump celebrated the reopening of the strait on Friday, but cautioned that the US blockade would continue until Iran agrees to a deal, which includes its nuclear program.
"Maybe I won’t extend it," Trump told reporters on Air Force One about the temporary ceasefire agreement, which will expire next Wednesday. "So you’ll have a blockade, and unfortunately we'll have to start dropping bombs again."
Asked if a potential deal could be made in this short period of time, Trump said: "I think it’s going to happen."
However, Iran stated that no date had been agreed upon for the next round of peace talks, accusing the US of "betraying" diplomacy in all negotiations.
The conflicting and fluctuating reports about the Strait of Hormuz and the extent of freedom for ships to cross it have made many vessels reluctant to cross, according to John-Paul Rodrigue, a maritime shipping specialist at Texas A&M University.
"Ships have been attempting transit since the announcement, but it looks like many of them are heading back because the situation is unclear," Rodrigue told Al Jazeera. "There is contradictory information being issued by all parties."
On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, which was later retaliated by Tehran with attacks on Israel and other countries in the region that host US military assets, as a form of self-defense.
The war has been in a ceasefire since April 8, after Pakistan mediated a two-week truce.
Washington and Tehran have also held talks in Pakistan last weekend to pursue long-term peace efforts, while efforts to arrange further meetings in Islamabad are ongoing.
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