Strait of Hormuz Closure Tied to Lebanon Ceasefire and Iranian Oil Waivers, Iran Says
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until a ceasefire in Lebanon is upheld and international waivers are issued allowing the sale of Iranian oil, according to reports citing a source close to Tehran’s negotiating team.
The Tasnim news agency reported that the decision is linked to ongoing regional tensions and recent Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. Iran had previously announced the closure of the waterway, which it says is in response to escalating conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital global shipping route, with around a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passing through it. The waterway had reportedly been shut for nearly four months during earlier hostilities before being briefly reopened following a preliminary US-Iran agreement aimed at reducing regional conflict.
Despite that agreement, the latest reports suggest Iran is again restricting access, tying any reopening to both the stability of the Lebanon ceasefire and the lifting of restrictions on Iranian oil exports.
