US‑Iran tensions flare over Hormuz

President Donald Trump said on April 28 that he was not satisfied with Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the two sides at an impasse. (reuters.com) The proposal from Tehran, passed through Pakistani mediators, would reopen the strait if the United States lifts its naval blockade and ends the war. It would postpone negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program until after the fighting stops. (apnews.com) (cbsnews.com) Trump said Iran had told the United States it wanted the strait opened “as soon as possible,” but U.S. officials have insisted any deal must address Iran’s nuclear program from the start. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly signaled that a shipping-only arrangement would not be enough. (reuters.com) (cnbc.com) The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow sea lane linking Gulf oil producers to the open ocean. In normal conditions, about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas moves through it, which is why every threat there hits energy markets fast. (aljazeera.com) That shipping route has become the central bargaining chip in the war that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Pakistan later brokered a conditional two-week ceasefire on April 8, but disputes over navigation, sanctions and Iran’s nuclear and missile programs have kept talks fragile. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) Iran has shifted its own position repeatedly this month. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on April 17 the strait would be open to commercial vessels during the truce, then Iranian forces restored tight control a day later after Trump said the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place. (apnews.com 1) (apnews.com 2) Inside Tehran, the chain of command has also hardened. Reuters reported on April 28 that wartime decision-making has narrowed around the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Supreme National Security Council and the supreme leader’s office, with commander Ahmad Vahidi emerging as a pivotal figure. (reuters.com) That matters for diplomacy because Pakistani officials and analysts told Reuters there is no longer a single decisive civilian or clerical arbiter who can quickly sign off on concessions. The result is slower responses from Tehran and a tougher line in negotiations with Washington. (reuters.com) Oil traders are reacting to that stalemate, not just to battlefield headlines. CBS reported on April 28 that energy prices were rising again as the U.S. and Iran remained deadlocked over Hormuz, with no clear path to a broader settlement. (cbsnews.com) For now, the fight over Hormuz is also the fight over the shape of any ceasefire: shipping first, as Iran proposes, or shipping and the nuclear file together, as Washington demands. (apnews.com) (reuters.com)