Iran is reportedly set to close the Strait of Hormuz again, casting doubt on negotiations
Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed again on Saturday and warned ships to stay away from the vital shipping lane, but the US denied those claims, saying the waterway remained open.
Tensions between the two countries intensified a few days after Tehran and Washington reached a temporary agreement to end hostilities in the region.
The announcement by Iran’s military and the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps came as Iranian negotiators prepared to travel to Switzerland for technical-level talks with US officials scheduled to begin on Sunday.
The joint military command in Iran said that the closure of the crisis is due to the continuation of the Israeli military in Lebanon and what it described as the “bad faith” of the US and the failure to fulfill obligations under the peace framework, reports AP. Iranian state television said “next steps have been planned” if what it called violence continued, according to multiple outlets.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 16 people, including two children, AP reported, citing Lebanese authorities. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said seven people were still trapped under rubble in Nabatiyeh and nearby villages following the attack, according to AP.
The US military said the Strait of Hormuz had not been closed, but said the US military was monitoring the situation to ensure it remained open, Reuters reported.
“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command Navy spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins told Reuters. “Traffic continues to flow, and the US military is monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case.”
President Donald Trump also indicated that the administration has taken this figure as open for traffic. He suggested that the US could start charging ships that will pass through the Strait if the parties fail to turn the interim agreement into a final agreement within 60 days.
“There will be NO TOLLS in the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days during the Ceasefire Period, and NO TOLLS will be paid after the 60-day period is over, unless imposed by the United States of America, if the agreement is not finalized,” he said in a Truth Social post late Saturday, saying the fee would be “for services rendered.”
Iran’s attempt to block the road also raises issues ahead of talks in Switzerland, which are aimed at advancing the interim agreement reached Wednesday between Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian after nearly four months of war.
The signed memorandum of understanding called for an immediate end to military actions by Israel in Lebanon and the complete reopening of the strait without the tolls imposed by Iran for at least 60 days.
Vance, the Iranian delegation goes to Switzerland
American Vice President JD Vance on Saturday left Washington and went to Switzerland to continue negotiations with Iran, the White House reported.
The vice president told reporters before boarding his plane that he hopes to “make progress on the nuclear issue” and “on the issue of ending the explosion in Lebanon.”
“Despite the headlines, actually things are getting better there (in Lebanon), and things are slowing down a bit,” he said. “It’s going to be something that we’re going to have to continue to manage to make sure that you know that Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure.”
Earlier, the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a post to X that an Iranian delegation had arrived in the country.
Vance expressed optimism earlier in the day, saying talks are continuing despite Iran’s latest threat to cut off the flow.
Speaking on Fox News, he said Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Switzerland were working on the technical details of the deal. He added that negotiations are “going well.”
Vance noted that tanking has increased significantly following the ceasefire agreement.
“We actually found 16 million barrels of oil in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday,” Vance said. “That’s a record that goes back even before the conflict started.”
He also said that negotiators are focused on getting Iran’s enriched uranium to make it “impossible” for Tehran to rebuild its nuclear program, while insisting that the United States retain major economic power if Iran fails to comply with the deal.
– Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report
