Iranian woman flashes the V-sign in a rally dubbed "Sacrificed Girls” to pay tribute to women killed during the war, in Tehran. (April 17, 2026)
Day 51 | Iran closes Hormuz Strait again as Trump warns against “blackmail”
The 2026 Iran War began on February 28, when the United States and ‘Israel’ launched a large-scale attack on Iran, unleashing nearly 900 airstrikes within 12 hours on the Islamic Republic’s missile systems, air defenses, nuclear facilities, military bases, and leadership targets.
The assault followed years of shadow conflict, including direct missile exchanges in 2024 and a limited 12-day war in 2025 that damaged Iran’s nuclear and ballistic capabilities.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials were killed in the opening strikes. Iran responded within hours, launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones at ‘Israel’, US bases, and targets across the Gulf.
On April 8, the United States, Iran, and ‘Israel’ agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, with Iran committing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while negotiations continue toward a broader agreement.
The fragile truce has since come under strain, particularly as ‘Israel’ launched major bombardments in Lebanon and clashes with the Iran-backed group Hezbollah intensified.
Here’s the latest updates:
- Trump Signals Imminent Deal: President Trump stated on April 16 that the US is "very close" to a deal, claiming Iran has agreed to "almost everything." He has even floated the possibility of traveling to Pakistan—the primary mediator—to sign a final agreement.
- The "$20 Billion for Uranium" Swap: Discussions have centered on a high-stakes proposal where Iran would hand over its entire enriched uranium stockpile (reportedly around 440 kg) in exchange for the release of $20 billion in frozen funds.
- Key Sticking Points: While Trump is optimistic, Iranian officials have called the total handover of uranium a "non-starter." Disagreements remain over the length of an enrichment pause, with the US demanding 20 years and Iran offering 3–5 years.
- Hormuz Closed Again: After a brief 24-hour reopening on April 17, Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, April 18. Tehran cited the continued US naval blockade as a violation of the spirit of the truce.
- Contradictory Sea Rules: The situation is volatile; while Iran briefly declared the Strait "open" to commercial traffic, the US naval blockade remains in "full force." Since the blockade began on April 13, CENTCOM has intercepted at least 23 vessels.
- Economic Pressure: The blockade is costing Iran an estimated $400 million per day in revenue. Experts warn that if the blockade isn't lifted by April 26, Iranian oil wells may suffer permanent damage due to overflow.
- 10-Day Ceasefire Holding: The US-brokered ceasefire between ‘Israel’ and Lebanon, which began on April 16, is largely holding despite high tension.
- Oil Price Volatility: Oil prices initially plummeted by 11% (US Crude to ~$83) on Friday following the brief reopening of the Strait. However, prices are expected to face renewed upward pressure following Iran's Saturday decision to re-close the waterway.
Iran says US insists on “excessive” demands; no meeting in sight
Iran said Sunday it has exchanged messages with the United States, but that the US’ demands remained “excessive”.
In statements by the Islamic Republic’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, cited by state TV, he added that negotiations have not yet reached a stage that allows moving to an actual meeting.
New instructions regarding the Strait of Hormuz will be issued as part of the negotiations,” Khatibzadeh also said.
VIDEO - Footage showing ‘Israeli’ demolitions in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil
Video shows a series of large-scale, controlled demolitions carried out by the ‘Israeli’ military in the town of Bint Jbeil, located in southern Lebanon.
Iran to keep Hormuz closed until US blockade lifted: parliament speaker
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf issued a series of defiant warnings on Sunday, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to international traffic as long as the United States maintains its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Speaking following high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad, Ghalibaf, who has emerged as Iran’s lead negotiator, detailed the "diplomacy of authority" guiding Tehran’s response to the most significant military conflict in the region in decades.
“The Americans have been declaring a blockade for several days, this is a clumsy and ignorant decision. It is not possible that others can pass through the Strait of Hormuz but we cannot,” he said.
“If the US does not lift the blockade, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be limited”.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz
The conflict, which escalated sharply following US and ‘Israeli’ strikes on February 28, 2026, has seen the heart of Iran’s leadership targeted.
Ghalibaf highlighted that despite the killing of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Commander of the IRGC, and the Chief of General Staff, Iran's military response was "immediate."
He contrasted this with the "12-day war" in June 2025, where he admitted to a 14-hour delay in Iran’s reaction.
"In the third imposed war... you saw that our response began immediately," Ghalibaf stated, framing the swift retaliation as a sign of their resilience.
The Speaker confirmed that Iran has engaged in direct "points of conflict" with US naval assets attempting to clear mines in the Strait.
"In Islamabad, I told the American delegation that if their minesweeper moves even a little further from its location, we will definitely shoot at it," Ghalibaf said.
"They asked for 15 minutes to give the order to turn back, and they did."
Demands for a "Public" Ceasefire
Addressing the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Ghalibaf rejected private assurances from the Trump administration.
He demanded that any ceasefire request be made publicly by the US President to signify American concessions.
Ghalibaf insisted that Trump must announce a ceasefire request via social media (X/Twitter) so that "everyone knows the request came from them."
The 36-Day Silence
He revealed that Tehran ignored all US ultimatums and messages for the first 35 days of the war, only beginning to examine them on the 36th day once Iran had established its "diplomatic authority."
Iran’s ten conditions for a lasting peace include a regional ceasefire that specifically encompasses Hezbollah. Ghalibaf said that Hezbollah "fought the recent war for the Islamic Republic," making their security a non-negotiable term for Tehran.
"Ready to Drink Blood"
Ghalibaf addressed US Vice President J.D. Vance directly regarding the lack of trust between the two nations. He accused the US government of prioritizing ‘Israeli’ interests based on "false information" and attempting to "Venezuelanize" Iran to seize its oil wealth.
"I am ready to sacrifice both my life and my honor," Ghalibaf declared.
"We are ready to give blood and we are ready to drink blood. The important thing is that the rights of the nation and the pride of Iran are protected."
As the April 22 ceasefire deadline approaches, Ghalibaf’s latest statements suggest that unless the naval blockade is lifted and the Strait of Hormuz is recognized under Iranian "authorization," the region remains on the brink of further escalation.
UN chief condemns deadly attack on French peacekeeper in Lebanon
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned on Saturday an attack on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon that left a French soldier dead and three wounded.
France blamed the attack on Hezbollah and Guterres said, in a statement issued by his spokesman, that an initial assessment by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was that it was carried out by the Iranian-backed group.
Previous day
For coverage of the previous day, visit the link below.
Read more: Day 50 | Iran closes Strait of Hormuz again, citing US ‘breaches of trust’
