The Speaker of Iran’s Parliament has issued a stark warning regarding the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz if the United States maintains its naval blockade. This announcement represents one of Iran’s most forceful public statements since negotiations for a ceasefire commenced.
“With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,”
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf expressed this sentiment in a series of posts on X early Friday morning. He further criticized U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of making seven false claims in just one hour. Qalibaf asserted, “They did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either.”
Qalibaf elaborated that any passage through the crucial waterway would only be allowed along a “designated route” and would require Iranian authorization. He emphasized that the decision regarding the strait’s accessibility would be dictated by real-world circumstances rather than social media discourse.
Iran rejects uranium transfer suggestions
In a related development, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed any suggestions regarding the transfer of Iran’s enriched uranium to another nation. Esmaeil Baqaei firmly stated that such a transfer has never been on the table and reiterated that Iran’s enriched uranium will not be moved elsewhere. This follows Trump’s earlier comments suggesting that the U.S. would assist Iran in recovering its enriched uranium.
Trump had indicated in a recent interview that Iran had agreed to halt its nuclear program indefinitely. He claimed that any freeze on Iran’s nuclear activities would be “unlimited,” thereby raising questions about future negotiations.
U.S. sanctions waiver extended
Concurrently, the U.S. Treasury Department announced an extension of its temporary waiver on sanctions related to Russian oil shipments, aimed at alleviating shortages stemming from the conflict involving Iran. This decision comes just days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had ruled out such an extension. The late Friday waiver allows countries to purchase Russian oil loaded onto vessels from that day until May 16, in contrast to the earlier waiver that had expired on April 11.