US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that “the United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” even though the details of that “assistance” are yet to be disclosed.

The United States and Iran have announced a two-week ceasefire, offering a tentative de-escalation in armed conflict just hours before the expiry of US President Donald Trump’s ultimatum and his threat to “destroy an entire civilisation (of Iran)”. At the heart of the agreement is the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during this period. According to a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry, later shared by the US President on Truth Social, the agreement follows mediation efforts by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to facilitate peace talks, alongside Washington’s acceptance of elements of Iran’s 10-point proposal as a basis for negotiations. The Iranian proposal comes in response to an earlier 15-point plan from Washington, which included reopening the strait to unrestricted commercial traffic. The US President said he had received the proposal and described it as a “workable basis” for negotiations.

Iran’s 10-point proposal centres on turning the Strait of Hormuz into a formally managed corridor under its oversight, effectively linking maritime access to its broader security and economic demands. Tehran is seeking a system of controlled passage, whereby commercial vessels would transit the strait only through coordination with the Iranian Armed Forces under an agreed protocol. The Guardian and multiple other media reports have said the plan would allow Iran and Oman to charge transit fees of up to US$2m per vessel, with revenues potentially used for Iran’s reconstruction. Furthermore, Iran is calling for the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions, the withdrawal of US forces from the Middle East, the release of its frozen assets, and an end to attacks against Iran and its allies, as well as a binding United Nations Security Council resolution to formalise any agreement.

In announcing the ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said: “For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s armed forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”

Statement on behalf of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Air strikes launched by both the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28 have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran retaliating in a move that has exerted significant commercial pressure across the Middle East and global markets, given the strait’s role as a critical oil chokepoint. Reports indicate that hundreds of vessels are now stranded in the Gulf, including around 130 container ships, while thousands more are affected by the crisis, waiting outside the strait or altering routes. Since 28 February 2026, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has confirmed 21 attacks on commercial vessels, resulting in 10 seafarer fatalities and several injuries. The attacks by “unknown projectiles” have been widely attributed to Iran, in what the country described as retaliation against vessels with reported ties to the US and Israel. Around 20,000 civilian seafarers remain aboard ships operating in the Persian Gulf.

While some transits have continued, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a drop of more than 90% in daily vessel movements, driving up insurance costs and pushing oil and gas prices globally. In recent days, there has been a slight uptick in transits, with bulk carriers and tankers accounting for most traffic. Data from Clarksons on 7 April showed an average of 11 transits per day over the previous five days, driven mainly by LPG carriers and bulk carriers, although overall activity remains around 90% below pre-crisis levels. Container ship movements have been minimal, limited to a few individual transits, including two COSCO vessels and, most recently, CMA CGM Kribi, and 660-TEU container vessel Selen.

US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that “the United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” even though the details of that “assistance” are yet to be disclosed. “Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process. We’ll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just “hangin’ around” in order to make sure that everything goes well.”

Diplomatic talks between the US and Iran are scheduled to begin in Pakistan on 10 April, marking the first formal engagement since the escalation.

“We welcome the conditional ceasefire between the United States and Iran and hope this signals a beginning of a return to stability in the region. This news will be a relief to the 20,000 seafarers who have been at the forefront of this crisis. Our thoughts remain with those civilians and seafarers who have already been injured or sadly lost their lives,” said Thomas A. Kazakos, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). “An immediate return to freedom of navigation is now essential, and states should work with shipping to ensure orderly and unimpeded transits through the Strait. This will require coordination between industry and nation states from both inside and outside the Gulf region and ICS is willing to assist this process is any way we can.”

While the truce brings a sigh of relief to the world, based on vessel tracking data, there has not been an observable increase in vessel transits in the Strait of Hormuz over the past few hours, reflecting a wait-and-see approach from ship operators awaiting clearer guidance before adjusting their routes. The caution comes amid reports of continued incidents and attacks on vessels in the region, including the most recent targeting of a container ship on 7 April. Data from the IMO shows that the vessel whose hull was damaged off the Iranian coast was the Qingdao Star. Luckily, there were no fatalities or injuries reported.