Iran doubles down on closing the Strait of Hormuz as the ceasefire inches toward expiration

The sun rises behind tankers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Qeshm Island, Iran, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Asghar Besharati) 2026-04-19T07:32:09Z CAIRO (AP) — Iran doubled down on its pledge to restrict ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, as mediators scrambled to secure further talks before the ceasefire expires this week. Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said in a televised interview that Tehran would continue to threaten commercial vessels transiting the critical waterway, after it fired on ships attempting to pass on Saturday. “It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot,” Qalibaf, who is Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the United States, said. Iran’s navy has warned ships against transiting the strait, a chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil normally passes. After a brief uptick in transit attempts on Saturday, vessels in the Persian Gulf held their positions, wary after two India-flagged ships were fired on mid-transit and forced to turn back. Their retreat returned the strait to its pre-ceasefire status quo, threatening to deepen the global energy crisis and push the parties toward renewed conflict as the war entered its eighth week. The fragile ceasefire in place between the U.S. and Iran is due to run out by Wednesday. Iran on Saturday said it had received new proposals from the United States, and Pakistani mediators were working to arrange another round of direct negotiations. (