Trump lifts Iran naval blockade as Tehran rejects key deal terms
Donald Trump announces lifting of US naval blockade on Iran as final deal hangs in the balance
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that the United States will lift its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a move he framed as a precursor to a potential peace agreement with Iran. Speaking from the White House Situation Room, Trump said the blockade’s end would allow stalled oil tankers to resume transit, though he tied the concession to Iran’s compliance with sweeping demands: the permanent renunciation of nuclear weapons, the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted shipping without tolls, and the joint excavation and destruction of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile—allegedly buried underground after US airstrikes.
Trump’s claims, however, clash sharply with Tehran’s position. Iranian officials, cited by the semi-official *Fars News Agency*, dismissed his narrative as a "mix of truth and lies," insisting no final agreement exists. They rejected two of Trump’s central assertions: that Iran would cede control of the Strait of Hormuz without compensation, and that it would dismantle its nuclear program. Instead, sources said Iran’s draft agreement includes the unfreezing of $12 billion in Iranian assets as a precondition for further talks, alongside a ceasefire in Lebanon aligned with Hezbollah’s demands. Iranian negotiators also warned of "immediate countermeasures" if the US violates any terms, underscoring deep mistrust.
The apparent deal—described by multiple outlets as an "interim agreement"—falls short of a comprehensive resolution. German outlet *Die Presse* reported that while the blockade’s end and Hormuz’s reopening mark progress, the arrangement fails to address long-term disputes, including Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional proxy conflicts. Trump’s own social media post on *Truth Social* acknowledged the deal’s fragility, noting that "no money will be exchanged until further notice" and that the uranium excavation would require technical coordination with China, the only other country capable of such an operation.
The standoff has paralyzed global energy markets for months, with the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint for 20% of the world’s oil—effectively shuttered since February. Trump’s decision to lift the blockade follows intense backchannel negotiations, but the divergent accounts from Washington and Tehran suggest the deal remains in flux. A final determination, Trump said, would be made after his Situation Room meeting on Friday, though Iranian officials have yet to signal formal approval. The last-minute brinkmanship echoes Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, a move that unraveled years of diplomacy and plunged the region into renewed crisis.
Trump lifts Iran naval blockade as Tehran rejects key deal terms
- independent
- die presse


