TEHRAN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that, in line with the truce in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared "completely open" for the remaining period of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X hours after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect following more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives.
Araghchi stressed that vessels can cross the strait via the previously announced coordinated route announced by Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization.
In reaction to the announcement, U.S. President Donald Trump thanked Iran for the announcement of a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, the state-run IRIB news agency cited a senior military official as saying that military vessels are prohibited from passing through the strait, and only civilian vessels can pass via designated routes and with the permission of the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps.
Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz by denying safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after they launched joint attacks on the country on Feb. 28.
The United States has also imposed a blockade on the strait, preventing ships traveling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway, following the failure of peace talks between the Iranian and U.S. delegations in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Saturday and early Sunday. ■
