Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz “is declared completely open” for the remaining period of the agreement.

The vessels can travel on the coordinated route published by Iran’s ports and maritime organisation.

United States President Donald Trump said that the US’ naval blockade of Iran will remain in force till a deal is reached with Tehran.

He claimed that Iran had agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. “It will no longer be used as a weapon against the world!” the US president said, adding that Iran, with the help of the US, “has removed, or is removing, all sea mines”.

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This came after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon began on Friday.

Here are more top updates from the conflict in West Asia:

  • Israel-Lebanon ceasefire: Announcing the ceasefire on social media on Thursday, Trump said that he had “excellent conversations” with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is not formally part of the agreement, Trump said he hoped that it “acts nicely and well during this important period of time”.
  • The Lebanese Army reported “acts of aggression” by Israel after the ceasefire came into force and urged residents in southern areas to exercise caution due to alleged violations, AFP reported. The Army has also urged displaced people not to rush back to affected areas until conditions become clearer. 
  • Israel has said its troops will remain in an expanded security zone in southern Lebanon during the ceasefire, with Netanyahu stating this position would not change, AP reported. “It is a security strip that begins at the sea and continues to Mount Dov and the outskirts of Mount Hermon up to the Syrian border,” he said in a video statement. 
  • Hezbollah has warned that continued Israeli presence would justify resistance, AP reported. The Lebanese militant group has not formally endorsed the ceasefire but indicated it would respect it if Israeli attacks stop.
  • Trump has said he may invite both Netanyahu and Aoun to the White House for further discussions, AP reported. This would mark the leaders’ first direct talks in over 30 years.
  • Iran welcomed the ceasefire, AFP reported. Foreign ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei “noted the cessation was part of the ceasefire understanding between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan”.
  • India also welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
  • US-Iran talks: Meanwhile, Trump on Thursday said the US and Iran were “very close” to a peace deal, AFP reported. When asked whether he would travel to Pakistan, he said: “I might go, yeah. If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go.”
  • Trump claimed that Iran had agreed to hand over its stock of enriched uranium, although no details were provided, AFP reported. “They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust”, he said. 
  • The US president on Friday also said that he had a “very good conversation” with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week. The call on Tuesday lasted about 40 minutes and was their second conversation since the war began, during which they discussed bilateral ties and the situation in West Asia, PTI reported.
  • Global oil prices fell after the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect, with the price of Brent crude at $98.4 per barrel on Monday morning, down 0.99% from its previous close. The price was $78 per barrel on February 27, a day before the conflict started.

The war

The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran’s action posed an existential threat to Israel. Washington acts as a guarantor of Israel’s security. Iran retaliated by striking Israel and US military bases in the region and targeting major cities in Gulf countries.

Tehran also effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterbody connecting the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, for most international commercial vessels, triggering a global energy crisis. About 20% of global petroleum supply passes through the maritime chokepoint.

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Washington and Tehran had on April 8 agreed to a two-week ceasefire to allow further negotiations to end the conflict. While Israel, which was not involved in the talks, has not struck Iran since the ceasefire took effect, it had continued to attack Lebanon until Friday’s deal. However, peace talks that were held in Islamabad collapsed on Sunday.

Israel has been claiming that Iran is close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, which could alter the regional security balance. Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.