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Oil tankers pass through Strait of Hormuz as Britain vows strong military contribution and Trump says peace deal very close: live updates

A convoy of oil tankers has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, vessel tracking data shows, after Iran declared the waterway completely open.

18 апреля 2026, 10:31

A convoy of oil tankers has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, vessel tracking data shows, after Iran declared the waterway completely open.

Tehran threatened on Saturday to close the Strait once more unless the US lifted its blockade of Iranian ports, which Trump said would remain in place until the transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete.

It comes as Britain vowed to make a strong military contribution to keeping the strait open, despite President Donald Trump raging on Friday he had told NATO to stay away, again branding the alliance a paper tiger.

The UK ambassador to the US Sir Christian Turner said the UK will make a wide-ranging military contribution as it was announced international efforts to keep the shipping lane secure would be led by Britain and France.

Trump has claimed that a peace deal with Iran is very close as a two week ceasefire rolls on.

07:17

Convoy of oil tankers pass through Strait of Hormuz

A convoy of oil tankers has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, vessel tracking data shows, after Iran declared the waterway 'completely open'.

But Tehran warned it could shut the Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, raising fresh fears over the vital global trade route.

MarineTraffic data showed several vessels moving through the channel, including tankers carrying oil, liquefied petroleum gas and chemicals.

The potential resumption of transit had lifted stock markets on Friday and prompted optimism in Washington, with President Donald Trump saying a broader US-Iran peace deal was 'very close'.

07:26

Donald Trump mocks 'useless' plan by Starmer to patrol Strait of Hormuz

Donald Trump ridiculed as 'useless' a planned British-led military taskforce to patrol the Strait of Hormuz.

As Iran declared the waterway 'completely open', Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron on Friday said they would send warships to keep it safe.

But while the US President welcomed Tehran's announcement, he mocked NATO countries offering to send military assets.

He wrote: 'Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger!'

It came as 49 leaders, including Sir Keir and Macron, held a summit in Paris on Friday to discuss how to re-open the strait.

Trump mocks 'useless' plan by Starmer to patrol Strait of Hormuz

As Iran declared the waterway 'completely open', Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron on Friday said they would send warships to keep it safe.

07:20

Strait of Hormuz open - but Tehran threats place shipping in peril

The Strait of Hormuz might have been declared 'completely open', but the situation remains fragile amid an ongoing blockade of Iranian vessels by US troops.

Iran warned that if US warships intercept vessels coming from Iranian ports, the key global trade artery through which about a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes could be closed again.

'With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,' parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would require authorization from Iran.

According to the latest data, the US has turned around 21 ships since Monday.

President Donald Trump has said that the blockade will continue until a full peace deal is reached.

Iran has attempted to impose conditions on ships that are now travelling through the strait, including taking only pre-approved routes.

07:14