The Strait of Hormuz is back in chaos after Iran reversed course and shut the strategic shipping lane again. Commercial vessels turned around after Iranian forces announced the waterway was closed and would remain under strict Iranian control. President Trump said negotiations are still moving forward and suggested an agreement may be near, but Iran warned that the U.S. blockade must end before normal shipping can resume. The renewed shutdown immediately reignited fears about oil supplies, tanker traffic, and market volatility.
Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz again, sending 20 ships back toward Oman and rattling markets. President Trump says talks are progressing, but Tehran insists the waterway stays under Iranian control until the U.S. blockade ends. #StraitOfHormuz #HormuzCrisis #Trump #Iran pic.twitter.com/wLd9scFYg7
— Matthew Brady (@mattbrady775) April 18, 2026
- Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again early Saturday after briefly reopening it Friday.
- Roughly 20 commercial ships waiting to enter the Persian Gulf turned around toward Oman after receiving radio warnings from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
- Several ship owners were reportedly prepared to pay up to $2 million in transit fees for permission to pass through the strait.
- Iran stated that all future passage through Hormuz will require Iranian authorization and follow a designated route.
- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused President Trump of making false claims about the conflict and warned the strait would remain restricted as long as the U.S. blockade continues.
- President Trump said negotiations with Iran are progressing and that a potential agreement could be close.
- Trump said the United States wants to remove material from Iran’s nuclear program as part of any deal.
- Trump also warned that if the blockade remains and negotiations fail, U.S. military strikes could resume.
- Financial markets reversed sharply after optimism Friday over a reopening gave way to renewed fears of disruption in global energy supplies.
- Polymarket odds of normal shipping returning by the end of April fell from 64% to 32% within 24 hours.
