Gas Prices Set To Soar: Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s latest declaration about the Strait of Hormuz collided with U.S. promises of open passage. Which is it?

Iran reignited speculation in the Persian Gulf on Saturday by declaring the Strait of Hormuz closed while U.S. officials insisted the vital shipping corridor remained open.

This has created renewed uncertainty just days before a new round of nuclear negotiations.

The competing claims emerged as Iranian and American negotiators prepared to meet in Switzerland for technical discussions tied to a fragile interim agreement reached earlier this week. The talks are intended to build on a ceasefire framework negotiated after nearly four months of conflict involving Iran, the United States and regional allies.

Iran’s military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the renewed closure of the strategic waterway, warning vessels to avoid the area. Iranian officials said the action was a response to ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon and what Tehran described as American failure to honor commitments outlined in the recent truce arrangement.

Iranian state television reported that additional measures were being considered if what officials characterized as continued aggression persists.

The announcement arrived amid renewed violence in Lebanon. According to reports citing Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 16 people, including two children. Lebanon’s National News Agency said several people remained trapped beneath rubble in and around Nabatiyeh following the attacks.

Despite Iran’s declaration, U.S. officials maintained that commercial traffic continued to move through the strait without interruption.

“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. Central Command spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told Reuters. “Traffic continues to flow, and U.S. forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case.”

The dispute over the waterway threatens to complicate negotiations scheduled to begin Sunday in Switzerland. The memorandum of understanding reached earlier this week between President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for a halt to military activity involving Israel in Lebanon and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without Iranian tolls for at least 60 days.

Even as tensions rose, U.S. Vice President JD Vance projected confidence about the diplomatic process.

Appearing on Fox News, Vance said discussions involving special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were progressing and that negotiators were working through technical details of the agreement.

“We actually got 16 million barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz yesterday,” Vance said. “That is a record going back to even before the conflict started.”

Vance also said talks remain focused on securing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile in an effort to prevent Tehran from rebuilding its nuclear capabilities. He added that Washington still possesses significant economic leverage should Iran fail to comply with the agreement’s terms.

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