The Strait of Hormuz went through a whiplash 24-hour cycle on Friday that left oil markets, global shippers and world leaders scrambling to understand the ground reality. In the span of hours, Iran declared the strait “completely open,” oil prices dropped nearly 10%, markets soared — and then Iran’s parliament speaker declared it closed again. Here is a chronological account of everything that happened.
Iran opens the strait — oil prices crash
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on X on Friday morning that the Strait of Hormuz was “completely open” for all commercial vessels and would remain so for the remaining period of the ceasefire. “In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire,” Araghchi said. He also added that Iran had agreed to “never close the Strait of Hormuz again.” Oil prices dropped almost 10% and markets soared on the news. In a remarkable first, a cruise ship — the Celestyal Discovery, registered in Malta — crossed the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first passenger vessel to pass through since the Iran war began on February 28. The vessel had been stranded in Dubai for 47 days.
Trump cheers — but says blockade stays
Trump cheered the reopening of the strait but said the US naval blockade on Iranian ports would remain in “full force until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.” “As soon as the agreement gets signed, that’s when the blockade ends,” Trump told reporters after arriving at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He also hinted at progress in negotiations, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: “We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran. I expect things to go well. Many of these things have been negotiated and agreed to.”
Iran reverses course
Then came the reversal. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X accusing Trump of violating the deal and declaring the opening of the Strait of Hormuz null and void. “With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,” he said. AFP confirmed Iran’s military command had formally announced the closure again — citing the continuation of the US naval blockade as a broken promise.
CENTCOM responded by saying it would continue the blockade until Trump told them not to.
Trump warns ceasefire may not be extended
Speaking aboard Air Force One late Friday night, Trump said: “Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. So you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we have to start dropping bombs again.” Without an extension or a permanent peace agreement, the ceasefire deal which began April 8 is slated to expire on Wednesday, April 22.
World leaders convene in Paris
As the Hormuz drama unfolded, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened a summit in Paris on the future of the strait, pushing a European-led plan to reopen the vital shipping lane without US leadership. The proposal envisions a post-conflict naval mission made up of Britain, France and other non-belligerent countries that would deploy only after fighting ends.
What it means
The strait remains in a state of extreme legal and military ambiguity — Iran’s foreign minister says it is open, Iran’s parliament speaker says it is closed, the US blockade of Iranian ports continues regardless, and a ceasefire that expires Wednesday is the only thread holding the situation together. For global oil markets, Indian importers, and LPG-dependent households, the next 72 hours leading up to the April 22 ceasefire deadline are the most critical since the war began on February 28.