By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz conditionally, limiting passage to vessels that meet three Iranian requirements.

Key Developments

• Iran says only commercial vessels may pass through Hormuz, while military ships remain barred.
• Tasnim and Fars each report three conditions governing passage, centered on vessel type, route, and coordination.
• Iran warns that continued blockade measures or ceasefire violations could lead to the Strait being closed again.

Three Conditions

Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz under a set of clearly defined conditions, according to separate reports published on Friday by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency and Fars News Agency, both citing sources close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Both reports say the waterway is open only on a conditional basis and only for vessels that comply with Iranian requirements.

The reports frame the arrangement around three conditions.

No Military Ships

The first condition is that only commercial vessels are allowed to pass, while military ships remain prohibited.

Tasnim quoted its source as saying: “The ships must be commercial and the passage of military ships is prohibited.”

Fars reported the same core condition, also stating that passage is restricted to commercial vessels and that military ships are barred.

According to Fars, passage is not only limited to commercial vessels, but also excludes ships or cargoes linked to hostile countries.

Specific Route

The second condition is that ships must use the route designated by Iran.

Tasnim reported that vessels “must pass through the route designated by Iran.”

Fars likewise said ships must move through the route set by Iran, presenting Tehran’s designated corridor as mandatory rather than optional.

In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran.

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 17, 2026

Coordinated Passage

The third condition is that all transit must be coordinated with Iranian forces responsible for passage through the Strait.

Tasnim said that “the passage of ships must be coordinated with the Iranian forces responsible for the passage.”

Fars reported the same requirement, stating that the movement of vessels must take place in coordination with the Iranian forces responsible for regulating traffic through the waterway.

Linked to Lebanon Ceasefire

Both reports also connect the reopening of Hormuz to the ceasefire in Lebanon.

Tasnim says the mechanism was affected after “the ceasefire in Lebanon failed to be implemented,” while Fars reports that continued “naval blockade” would be treated as a violation that could result in the passage route through Hormuz being closed again.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately said commercial shipping would be allowed in line with the Lebanon ceasefire for the remaining period of the truce.

(Fars, Tasnim, X, PC)