Iran claims 'strict control' of Strait of Hormuz and says it will not be fully reopened
Source · Geopolitics desk
— Summary
Iran said on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint through which roughly one fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes — would not fully reopen and remained under "strict control" of its armed forces. The statement, from the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command Headquarters, came after Donald Trump said the US would maintain its Navy blockade of Iranian ports. The US president warned Iran not to "blackmail" the US and claimed ceasefire talks were "going actually along very well".
Two incidents underlined how fragile traffic in the strait has become. UK Maritime Trade Operations said an Indian-owned crude oil tanker, the Sanmar Herald, was fired on by two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats despite having received clearance to transit; the ship turned back and seafarers were heard shouting "Mayday" on open radio. Separately, a container ship operated by France's CMA-CGM was struck, damaging some containers without triggering a fire. Most other vessels turned back into the Gulf; only a handful of ships with Middle Eastern or Chinese ownership made it through overnight. A 14-day US–Iran ceasefire expires late Tuesday.
Trump claimed on Friday that Iran had agreed to suspend its nuclear programme indefinitely and hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium — a claim Iranian officials, including top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, flatly denied. Oil and gas prices had fallen on Friday on optimism about a full reopening; Saturday's reversal reinstates the risk premium. Source: Financial Times, 18 April 2026, Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Andrew England, Alice Hancock and James Politi.
The story in one line. Iran has walked back Friday’s signal that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen, declaring on Saturday that the waterway stays under its “strict control” after two ships were fired on and Donald Trump extended the US blockade of Iranian ports.
Key numbers
Share of global oil and LNG normally transiting Hormuz: about one fifth (~20%).
Ships fired on Saturday: the Indian-owned crude oil tanker Sanmar Herald and a CMA-CGM container vessel.
US–Iran ceasefire window:14 days, expiring late Tuesday.
Israel–Hizbollah truce brokered alongside the reopening announcement: 10 days.
Iran–Hizbollah war had lasted more than seven weeks before Trump signalled a deal.
Trump’s seven claims on Iranian nuclear concessions: all seven were false, per Iran’s chief negotiator Ghalibaf.
Why it matters
Hormuz is the single largest pressure point in the oil market. Iran’s ability to throttle traffic — granting clearance to some vessels, firing on others — converts the strait into a usable coercive lever, not just a diplomatic talking point. The IRGC gunboat attacks show the risk remains acute even when Tehran officially signals openness, and the retreat of most commercial traffic back into the Gulf on Saturday is a live demonstration of the energy crisis mechanism: uncertainty, not closure, is enough to halt flows.
The nuclear track adds a second layer. Trump’s public claim that Iran had agreed to suspend enrichment indefinitely triggered an outraged public denial from Tehran, meaning the two sides are now negotiating while their leaders dispute in public what is on the table. Another round of talks has no agreed date.
Takeaway
Until the Tuesday ceasefire deadline, tanker routing, the US Navy blockade posture and any retaliation after Saturday’s gunboat incidents will dictate whether oil and LNG prices hold Friday’s relief or re-rate upward. The structural risk — that Iran keeps the option to partially close the strait as negotiating leverage — is back on the table.
Source: Financial Times, 18 April 2026, Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Andrew England, Alice Hancock and James Politi.