Strait of Hormuz Reopens: Trump-Iran Deal, 60 Days

Why the Strait of Hormuz matters right now

The Strait of Hormuz has returned to the centre of global attention after Iran said it had closed the waterway and US President Donald Trump later claimed commercial shipping was moving again. The route is described in the report as one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes, so any disruption quickly raises questions about energy flows and maritime safety. Trump said on Sunday that the strait is open to commercial traffic, even as the US and Iran continued to trade attacks that increased concerns over vessel safety.

The latest claims also arrive against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire and an interim peace agreement that both sides present differently. While Trump has repeatedly described the strait as open and the peace deal as signed, Iranian officials and Iranian media have signalled that control and operating rules are still contested.

Iran’s earlier closure claim and the trigger

The text says Tehran had earlier stated it had closed the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, it also states that Iran announced it was shutting the crucial waterway in retaliation for renewed Israeli assaults in Lebanon. Those assertions became a key flashpoint because they implied Iran could directly restrict movement through the chokepoint.

The US military, according to the report, refuted Iran’s assertion of control over the strait. At the same time, Trump warned of potential US tolls on the shipping route if an agreement with Tehran is not ultimately achieved. The combination of closure threats, counter-claims, and toll talk reinforced uncertainty for ship operators and energy traders trying to judge whether passage would remain safe and predictable.

Trump’s timeline: “open” now, “completely open” by Friday

Trump’s public messaging described a rapid reopening. He said the strait is open to commercial traffic and later posted on social media that ships were beginning to navigate out of the Strait of Hormuz, “many loaded with oil.” In another comment cited in the text, Trump said they were searching for “a few mines” that had already been found, but ships were starting to depart.

He linked the final step to a specific date, saying that “by Friday, it will be entirely open.” He also framed the goal as broad access, stating the strait was “going to be open to everybody,” and described it as international waters while arguing that no one should control it.

What the interim arrangement says: toll-free access for 60 days

The report describes an interim peace agreement between the US and Iran, designed to resolve ongoing conflicts, though it notes disagreements remain over parts of a 14-point memorandum of understanding. According to the memorandum as described, both parties consented to reopen the strait without tolls for a minimum of 60 days and to halt hostilities.

The text also references Lebanon, where clashes have continued between Israel and Iran-aligned Hezbollah forces, and says the memorandum emphasised halting hostilities “particularly in Lebanon.” Trump also said on Wednesday that Iran had communicated there would be no fees, insurance expenses, or any charges for vessels intending to navigate through the strait.

Iran pushes back: no “new commitments” and a bigger role

A key complication is that Iranian messaging, as described in the report, did not match the US headline claims. The text says Iran’s foreign ministry publicly contradicted America’s stated achievements and that Tehran said it had made no new commitments.

Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, is cited as saying the Strait of Hormuz will now be administered by Iran. The report also says Tehran wants a greater role in monitoring, regulating, and influencing traffic through Hormuz, and that Iran is signalling the strait will not return to its pre-war status. In addition, Iranian state-linked reporting quoted in the text said the management of the strait, including route, timing, method of passage, and issuance of permits, would remain the exclusive domain of Iran.

Shipping industry skepticism: details, timing, and safe routes

Even with political claims of reopening, shipping industry sources and maritime security specialists expressed doubts. The report says sources from the shipping industry were skeptical of the development, and that experts monitoring maritime traffic indicated Trump’s picture of movement was “not the reality.”

Jakob Larsen, cited as a safety officer at BIMCO, said the information from the US and Iran was ambiguous and lacked crucial details on timing and secure routes. He added that, given the absence of specifics and what he described as a record of overly optimistic assurances, the security situation remained precarious and highly risky for vessels to commence transit.

Mines, partial traffic, and the path back to “normal”

The report indicates that some vessels have already been traversing the strait even amid ongoing conflict, suggesting not all traffic stopped completely. But it also ties near-term conditions to operational hazards such as mines, with Trump saying they were still searching for mines that had already been located.

Matt Smith, described as lead oil analyst at Kpler, said the situation was not unexpected because the agreement was not set to be finalised until Friday. He estimated that it may take three to four months before traffic can be considered “normal.” That timeline underscores why ship operators may remain cautious even if political leaders claim that passage has reopened.

What Iran and Oman signalled on navigation services

The text says Iran and Oman issued a joint statement indicating they intended to start talks on an agreement concerning navigation services in the strait. That prospective agreement would include “associated costs in line with international standards.”

This detail matters because it sits alongside Trump’s claim of no fees, insurance expenses, or charges. Together, the two sets of statements point to an unresolved question: whether reopening means a return to past operating practices, or a new system for services, monitoring, and cost-setting.

Key facts at a glance

Market impact and why investors are watching

The report says oil tankers are moving and “global energy markets have breathed a sigh of relief” after the strait reopened. But the same reporting also stresses that ambiguity around terms, timing, and safe routes is expected to keep traffic limited for an extended period. That gap between political declarations and operational confidence is often where volatility can persist.

The dispute over “who controls” the chokepoint is central to how durable the reopening proves to be. Trump positioned the strait as international waters that nobody should control, while Iranian officials and Iranian media indicated a greater Iranian role in administration and permitting. Until those positions converge into clear, enforceable operating rules, ship operators may continue to weigh security risks, and cargo owners may continue to plan around delays and uncertainty.

Conclusion

Trump has said the Strait of Hormuz is open and moving toward being “entirely open” by Friday, tied to an interim peace framework and a 60-day ceasefire window. Iran, meanwhile, has disputed parts of the US narrative and argued for new conditions and stronger Iranian administration of passage. The next key test will be whether the agreement’s finalisation, mine-clearing efforts, and any Iran-Oman navigation talks produce clearer rules that shipping companies can rely on.