Issued on: 17/04/2026 - 03:17Modified: 17/04/2026 - 21:34
The Strait of Hormuz will be “completely open” to commercial vessels for the remainder of the ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media Friday. US President Donald Trump welcomed the move, thanking Tehran for reopening the critical waterway. Read our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.
This liveblog is no longer being updated. For more on this story, click here.
'Opening up the Strait of Hormuz is in everyone's interest, including the Iranians'
As Tehran announced that it would be reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, FRANCE 24 spoke with Robert Murrett, a retired vice admiral in the US Navy and deputy director of the Syracuse University's Institute for Security Policy and Law.
Watch the full interview by clicking on the player below.
Iran foreign ministry says its enriched uranium is 'not going to be transferred'
Iran's foreign ministry said the country's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere", denying an earlier claim by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic Republic had agreed to hand it over.
"Iran's enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state TV.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform earlier Friday that "The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear 'Dust,' created by our great B2 Bombers," referring to nuclear material buried by US strikes last year.
Iranian football players in Australia thankful for 'safe haven'
Two members of the Iranian women's football team who were granted asylum in
Australia last month released a joint statement Friday thanking the
Australian government for assistance with "the process of rebuilding our
lives."
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were the only two of seven members of the Iran traveling party who remained in Australia after the group first sought asylum during the Asian Cup tournament. Four players and one staff member ultimately returned to Iran.
Significant differences remain between Iran-US, including on nuclear issues, senior Iranian official says
Significant differences between Iran and the United States remain to reach a deal aimed at ending the war, a senior Iranian official said on Friday, adding that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is "conditional on US adherence to the terms of ceasefire".
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said "no agreement has been reached on the details of the nuclear issues," and serious negotiations are required to overcome differences.
He said Tehran hoped that a preliminary agreement could be reached in the coming days with mediator Pakistan’s efforts, with the possibility of extending the ceasefire to "create space for more talks on lifting sanctions on Iran and securing compensation for war damages".
"In exchange, Iran will provide assurances to the international community about the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme," he said, adding that any other "narrative about the ongoing talks is a misrepresentation of the situation".
Lebanon no longer 'arena for anyone's wars', president says
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said his country was no longer an "arena" for anyone's wars.
"We are confident that we will save Lebanon ... we have reclaimed Lebanon and Lebanon's decision-making power for the first time in nearly half a century," Aoun said in his first speech to the nation since the truce, adding that "today, we negotiate for ourselves ... we are no longer a pawn in anyone's game, nor an arena for anyone's wars, and we never will be again".
"I hereby affirm ... that there will be no agreement that infringes upon our national rights, diminishes the dignity of our steadfast people, or relinquishes an iota of this nation's soil."
Lebanon president says working on 'permanent agreements' after Israel ceasefire
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that his country was on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements" after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force.
"Now, we all stand before a new phase," Aoun said in his first speech to the nation since the truce, adding that "it is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation".
Aoun added that direct talks with Israel were "not a sign of weakness nor a concession ... negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation".
UN chief welcomes Hormuz reopening, urges full freedom of navigation
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Iran's agreement to stop blocking the Strait of Hormuz and urged full freedom for shipping through the crucial waterway.
"The secretary-general considers this a step in the right direction. The United Nations' position remains clear: we need the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz to be respected by all parties," Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Strikes kill three Iranian Kurds in northern Iraq, opposition group says
Drone and rocket strikes in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region on Friday killed three Iranian Kurds, including two women fighters, an exiled opposition group said, blaming the attack on Iran.
During the Middle East war, Iran has repeatedly struck Iranian Kurdish groups in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, which hosts camps and bases belonging to several exiled rebel groups.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran launched a new wave of missile and drone strikes today targeting ... civilian camps of the PDKI," killing one person and wounding his father, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) said on X.
In a separate attack, two women fighters were killed and other fighters wounded, the party added.
A PDKI official said the fighters were killed in an attack on their positions in the Soran area, nestled in the Zagros mountains near the Iranian border.
On Tuesday, a woman fighter was killed in a drone strike on a position belonging to the exiled Komala party. It was the first such attack against Iranian Kurds in Iraqi Kurdistan since a fragile ceasefire in the US-Israeli war against Iran took effect in the region on April 8.
In Pictures: Residents return to bombed-out homes in southern Lebanon
Residents returning to their homes in Jibchit, southern Lebanon after the 10-day ceasefire came into effect sift through the ruins of building cut down by Israeli air strikes. Photos by Hassan Ammar for AP.
Trump tells AFP Iran deal is 'very close'
US President Donald Trump told AFP there were "no sticking points" left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was "very close".
Trump's comments came after a series of social media posts in which he touted progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending Iran's nuclear programme.
"We're very close. Looks like it's going to be very good for everybody. And we're very close to having a deal," Trump said in a brief telephone call with AFP from Las Vegas.
"The strait's going to be open, they already are open. And things are going very well."
A first round of US-Iran talks in Pakistan last weekend ended without a peace deal, but Trump has said a second round could happen soon.
US will recover enriched uranium from Iran, Trump tells Reuters
US President Donald Trump alleged that the US will enter Iran at a "leisurely pace" to recover its enriched uranium and bring it back to the US, he said during a phone interview with Reuters.
Mine threat in parts of Hormuz not fully understood, US navy advisory says
The threat posed by mines in parts of the Strait of Hormuz is not fully understood and avoidance of the area by ships should be considered, a US navy advisory said.
"Status of TSS mine threat is not fully understood. Consider avoidance of that area," said the advisory sent by the US navy’s US NCAGS agency to mariners.
The TSS refers to the so-called Traffic Separation Scheme, which was adopted by the UN's shipping agency in 1968 with agreement of countries in the region, and created a ship routing system that split sailing corridors through Iranian and Omani waters in the strait.
It was not immediately clear whether the advisory was sent before or after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the Strait of Hormuz was open following the agreement of a ceasefire in Lebanon.
China steps out of the shadows in Iran war
China's President Xi Jinping has broken a six-week silence about the war in Iran, vowing to take a "constructive" role in efforts to end the conflict.
Beijing is wary of being drawn into a war it took no part in, and faces a delicate balancing act between its long-term partnership with Iran and its strategic interests in the Middle East and beyond.
FRANCE 24 spoke with Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, about what's behind Beijing's calculations.
Trump claims Iran has agreed to 'never' close Hormuz Strait again
US President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to never again shut the Strait of Hormuz, during a string of social media posts suggesting a peace deal with Tehran was near.
"Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the World," Trump said on his Truth Social network, after Iran earlier said the crucial sea passage would remain open during a Middle East ceasefire.
Israeli drone strike kills one person in south Lebanon on first full day of truce, medics say
An Israeli drone strike killed one person in southern Lebanon on Friday, the first full day of a US-brokered truce meant to end hostilities between Israel and armed group Hezbollah, paramedics in the area and the head of a local hospital told Reuters.
The reports of the strike came in minutes after US President Donald Trump said the United States had banned Israel from further bombing in Lebanon.
"A motorcyclist was killed in the town of Kunin, in the Bint Jbeil district, after being targeted by an enemy drone," Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.
Under the terms of the truce, Israel reserves the right to continue targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah to prevent "planned, imminent or ongoing attacks".
It also said Israeli troops will continue to occupy a 10-kilometre "security zone" in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah lawmakers express 'cautious commitment' to ceasefire
Lebanese lawmakers representing Shiite group Hezbollah expressed their "cautious commitment" to a ceasefire with Israel but said it must ensure that all Israeli hostilities stop and must limit the Israeli military's "freedom of movement" in Lebanon.
Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc also criticised the Lebanese government, saying it had taken the country into an "extremely dangerous phase" by accepting direct negotiations with Israel.
Trump alleges Iran is removing mines from Hormuz Strait with US help
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran was removing mines from the Strait of Hormuz with US assistance, after Tehran said the crucial sea passage was reopen.
"Iran, with the help of the U.S.A., has removed, or is removing, all sea mines!" Trump said on his Truth Social network.
The US president's claim could not be independently verified.
Lebanon says nearly 2,300 people killed in Israel war
Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed nearly 2,300 people since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry said, on the first day of the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war.
In a statement, the ministry said that at least 2,294 have been killed, in a preliminary toll that included 274 women, 177 children and 100 health workers and rescuers.
"The final toll of the aggression will be made after the rubble has been cleared, the martyrs have been recovered, DNA tests have been completed, and the identities of their owners have been determined," the ministry added.
Trump claims US has 'prohibited' Israel from bombing Lebanon
US President Donald Trump said Friday the United States had "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon following a ceasefire deal, adding that Washington would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah.
"Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!" Trump said on his Truth Social network.
Senior military Iran official says commercial ships can transit Hormuz Strait along set route with permission of Revolutionary Guards
Yesterday's key developments:
• A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect at 5pm EST on Thursday.
• French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told reporters Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz needs to reopen “but not at any price,” adding that G7 leaders stand ready to mitigate the war's economic fallout.
• IMF economists warned Thursday that the war in Iran could have “very, certainly severe” consequences far outside the region, especially for energy-importing countries.
Keywords for this article
The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.
