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Iran live updates: Strait of Hormuz returns to 'previous state,' Iranian State TV reports

PHOTO: A satellite image shows the ship movement at the Strait of Hormuz on April 2, 2026, in Space.
2:19
European Union/copernicus Sentin viia Reuters
War with Iran 'going along swimmingly,' Trump says
By David Brennan, Meredith Deliso, Nadine El-Bawab, Kevin Shalvey
Last Updated: April 18, 2026, 9:17 AM

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.

After negotiations, U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan failed to reach a peace deal. Trump said that Iran's nuclear program was the key sticking point, and said the U.S. would respond with a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz starting at 10 a.m. ET on Monday.

Iran announced it would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, but Trump said the blockade will remain in place until the U.S.'s "transaction" with Iran is complete.

Israel, meanwhile, has reached a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, ending its ground operations and intense strikes, where it was engaged with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the ceasefire with Iran.

Key Headlines

  • Strait of Hormuz returns to 'previous state,' Iranian State TV reports
  • Iranian negotiator: Trump's claims are 'false'
  • When the next round of talks could happen, and a key sticking point
  • Trump says there 'could' still be differences to work out with Iran
  • White House insists Strait of Hormuz is 'completely open'
Here's how the news is developing.

Apr 18, 2026 9:17 AM

Strait of Hormuz returns to 'previous state,' Iranian State TV reports

The Strait of Hormuz "has returned to its previous state," Iranian state TV reported on Saturday, quoting a spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces.

The spokesperson said Tehran had previously allowed the managed passage of a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels "in good faith" following recent negotiations, Iran state TV IRIB reported.

PHOTO: A satellite image shows the ship movement at the Strait of Hormuz on April 2, 2026, in Space.
European Union/copernicus Sentin viia Reuters
A satellite image shows the ship movement at the Strait of Hormuz on April 2, 2026, in Space.
European Union/copernicus Sentin viia Reuters

The spokesperson accused the United States of failing to uphold its commitments and continuing "piracy and maritime robbery under the so-called blockade."

"As a result, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state," the spokesperson reportedly said, adding that the strategic waterway is now under "strict management and control" by Iran's military.


Apr 17, 2026 11:47 PM

Iranian negotiator: Trump's claims are 'false'

The current Iranian negotiations leader, Mohammed Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, posted a statement to social media Friday evening stating President Donald Trump "made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which are false."

Ghalibaf's statement also echoes what Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmael Baqaei said earlier -- that Iran would not allow navigation in the Strait of Hormuz if the American blockade continued, and that navigation will be carried out based on a "designated route" and with "Iranian permission."

He added that the "open or closed status of the Strait and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not social media."

The statement went on to say: "Media warfare and public opinion engineering are an important part of the war, and the Iranian nation will not be affected by these tricks."

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule


Apr 17, 2026 11:33 PM

When the next round of talks could happen, and a key sticking point

President Donald Trump said in-person discussions would "probably" happen this weekend. Though two U.S. officials see Monday as the first feasible day that a second round of negotiations could take place in Islamabad. They also note that timing and the delegations are not locked in yet.

Trump has said that Iran has agreed to suspend their nuclear program indefinitely. Though there's still no agreement on how long Iran would suspend uranium enrichment or the terms around that, according to U.S. officials and another source familiar with the state of play. This is the key sticking point.

On Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, a U.S. official says negotiators are discussing multiple ways to address the issue in part because it's possible that not all of it can be downblended within the country, as some might not be stable enough to undergo the process.

The official says there are many details on this front to work out, but that the administration believes the sides are fundamentally in agreement.

At present, Iran's missile program and its support for regional proxies are not being discussed as terms within the potential memorandum of understanding, a U.S. official and another source familiar with the talks said.

-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston



Apr 17, 2026 9:56 PM

Trump says there 'could' still be differences to work out with Iran

President Donald Trump continued to tout the progress between the U.S. and Iran upon touching down in Phoenix on Friday, telling reporters that the two countries have had "some very good discussions."

"We've done a good job, but we'll see,” Trump said.

"Talks are going on and will go on over the weekend, and a lot of good things are happening," Trump continued, adding, "That includes Lebanon, too."

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the press, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, April 17, 2026.
Evan Vucci/Reuters
President Donald Trump speaks to the press, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, April 17, 2026.
Evan Vucci/Reuters


Trump acknowledged that there "could" still be differences that the U.S. and Iran need to work out, despite saying earlier Friday that Iran has "agreed to everything."

"Well, there could be," Trump said when asked to respond to reports of Iran claiming the two countries still have significant differences. "Let's see what happens. If there are, we'll have to straighten it out. But I don't think there's too many significant differences."

The president also insisted that the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz will end once the U.S. and Iran sign a deal.

"When the agreement is signed, the blockade ends," Trump said.

-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr and Emily Chang


Apr 14, 2026 10:39 AM

Iran president says 'lack of US will' prevented Islamabad deal

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, according to a readout published by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to continue talks solely within the framework of international laws and regulations and with the aim of protecting the rights of the Iranian people," Pezeshkian told Macron, according to the readout.

Pezeshkian blamed the failure to reach an agreement during weekend talks with the U.S. in Pakistan on "the exaggeration and lack of political will of senior U.S. officials."

"Approaches based on threats, pressure and military action not only do not solve the problem, but also add to the complexity of the issues and will exacerbate the self-created problems of the American side," Pezeshkian said.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian and Zoe Magee


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