Strait of Hormuz Unblocked, Lebanon Ceasefire; Trump Says US-Iran Deal Has No Sticking Points
President Trump announced that a US-Iran peace agreement is "very close," with no remaining obstacles, following Iran's declaration of the Strait of Hormuz being open to commercial shipping and a ceasefire in Lebanon. These developments signal a potential de-escalation of regional tensions.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 03:47
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 04:01 (14 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 21:28 (17h 27m after Collected)
Middle East War Key News
Central Message
(Central News Agency, Washington, April 17, Comprehensive Foreign News) U.S. President Trump told Agence France-Presse today that a peace agreement with Iran has "no sticking points left," and that the agreement is "very close," while Tehran announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been opened to commercial shipping.
Amid positive signals from Washington, a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon began to take effect, raising expectations that the two main obstacles to a US-Iran agreement may have been removed.
Trump said in a phone interview, "We are very close. It looks like this will be very beneficial for everyone, and we are very close to reaching an agreement," adding that there are "absolutely no sticking points left" between the two sides.
He said, "This strait will be opened, it is actually open, and things are progressing very smoothly."
These comments came after a series of posts on social media. In his posts, he highlighted progress in reopening this key waterway and efforts to end Iran's nuclear program.
Trump called it "a great and glorious day for the whole world" in his posts, while thanking Pakistan, the mediating country, and Gulf allies, and warning the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) "not to interfere," rejecting NATO's offer of assistance in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
After the ceasefire in Lebanon began, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that in coordination with the Lebanese ceasefire, all merchant ships would have complete passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire period.
An Iranian high-ranking military official told state media that warships are still prohibited from passing through this important waterway.
Trump warned that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would continue until a formal agreement was reached. (Compiled by Xu Ruicheng) 04181150
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Central Message
(Central News Agency, Washington, April 17, Comprehensive Foreign News) U.S. President Trump told Agence France-Presse today that a peace agreement with Iran has "no sticking points left," and that the agreement is "very close," while Tehran announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been opened to commercial shipping.
Amid positive signals from Washington, a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon began to take effect, raising expectations that the two main obstacles to a US-Iran agreement may have been removed.
Trump said in a phone interview, "We are very close. It looks like this will be very beneficial for everyone, and we are very close to reaching an agreement," adding that there are "absolutely no sticking points left" between the two sides.
He said, "This strait will be opened, it is actually open, and things are progressing very smoothly."
These comments came after a series of posts on social media. In his posts, he highlighted progress in reopening this key waterway and efforts to end Iran's nuclear program.
Trump called it "a great and glorious day for the whole world" in his posts, while thanking Pakistan, the mediating country, and Gulf allies, and warning the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) "not to interfere," rejecting NATO's offer of assistance in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
After the ceasefire in Lebanon began, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that in coordination with the Lebanese ceasefire, all merchant ships would have complete passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire period.
An Iranian high-ranking military official told state media that warships are still prohibited from passing through this important waterway.
Trump warned that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would continue until a formal agreement was reached. (Compiled by Xu Ruicheng) 04181150
Stand with the facts, and your every sponsorship is the power to safeguard press freedom.
Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP to get the latest news in real-time.
This website's text, images, and videos may not be reproduced, broadcast, or transmitted without authorization.