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The White House has demanded that Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz following claims that Tehran had closed the vital maritime route amid Israel's air strikes on Lebanon.
The White House said on Wednesday that Iran has agreed to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and reported an increase in maritime traffic through the vital waterway amid efforts to stabilise tensions in the Middle East.
According to the White House, President Donald Trump expects the strait to remain open, and stressed that Tehran will be held accountable if it fails to ensure continued access for international shipping.
Strategic waterway at center of crisis
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes, with nearly 20 % of global oil and natural gas passing through it. Any disruption to traffic can have immediate implications for global energy markets.
Just hours earlier, Iranian state media reported that Tehran had closed the strait in response to Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, raising fears the already fragile ceasefire with the United States — agreed just days earlier — was unraveling. According to those reports, Iran positioned the closure as retaliation against strikes that it views as violations of the ceasefire terms.
This is a developing story.
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