Tanker Fleet Passes Through Strait of Hormuz; Trump Says US-Iran Talks to Continue Over Weekend
A fleet of oil tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the US-Israel war with Iran began. President Trump noted positive developments and negotiations will continue.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 19:24
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 19:31 (7 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 21:29 (1h 57m after Collected)
Focus News of the US-Iran War
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Washington, 18th, Composite Foreign Report) A fleet of oil tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz today, marking the first major vessel movement in this critical waterway since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran seven weeks ago. U.S. President Donald Trump also said there is positive news regarding Iran, and the two sides will continue to negotiate over the weekend.
According to Reuters, citing data from ship tracking provider MarineTraffic, the fleet consisted of four liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers and several vessels carrying oil products and chemicals. They passed through the Strait of Hormuz from waters south of Iran's Larak Island, and other tankers followed in the same direction from the Persian Gulf.
Just a few hours prior, U.S. President Donald Trump stated there was "some pretty good news" regarding Iran, but he also warned that if a peace agreement is not reached by the 22nd, strikes could resume.
While returning to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona on Air Force One, Trump told traveling reporters: "We will continue to negotiate this weekend. I expect things to go smoothly... The main thing is to make sure Iran no longer has nuclear weapons."
However, Trump also noted that if a long-term agreement is not reached before the ceasefire expires on the 22nd, he might end the ceasefire, and the U.S. would continue to blockade Iranian ports.
The U.S. and Iran held their first peace talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, over the weekend, but failed to reach an agreement. This was the highest-level face-to-face meeting between the two sides since the Islamic Revolution broke out in Iran in 1979.
The Pakistani military stated today that Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, a key mediator in the US-Iran talks, traveled to the Iranian capital Tehran for three days of talks and has concluded his trip.
A Pakistani source familiar with the mediation efforts said the US-Iran talks might first reach a preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), before attempting to finalize a comprehensive peace agreement within 60 days.
Sources revealed that during the weekend talks, the U.S. demanded Iran suspend all nuclear activities for 20 years, but Iran proposed a suspension of only 3 to 5 years. However, two Iranian sources indicated there are signs both sides might reach a compromise to remove part of the nuclear stockpile.
In a telephone interview with Reuters, Trump stated the U.S. might not take quick action: "We will work with Iran at a rather leisurely pace, and we will go there and use large machinery to dig, and we will bring things back to the United States." (Compiled by: Chang Cheng-chien) 1150418
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Washington, 18th, Composite Foreign Report) A fleet of oil tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz today, marking the first major vessel movement in this critical waterway since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran seven weeks ago. U.S. President Donald Trump also said there is positive news regarding Iran, and the two sides will continue to negotiate over the weekend.
According to Reuters, citing data from ship tracking provider MarineTraffic, the fleet consisted of four liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers and several vessels carrying oil products and chemicals. They passed through the Strait of Hormuz from waters south of Iran's Larak Island, and other tankers followed in the same direction from the Persian Gulf.
Just a few hours prior, U.S. President Donald Trump stated there was "some pretty good news" regarding Iran, but he also warned that if a peace agreement is not reached by the 22nd, strikes could resume.
While returning to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona on Air Force One, Trump told traveling reporters: "We will continue to negotiate this weekend. I expect things to go smoothly... The main thing is to make sure Iran no longer has nuclear weapons."
However, Trump also noted that if a long-term agreement is not reached before the ceasefire expires on the 22nd, he might end the ceasefire, and the U.S. would continue to blockade Iranian ports.
The U.S. and Iran held their first peace talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, over the weekend, but failed to reach an agreement. This was the highest-level face-to-face meeting between the two sides since the Islamic Revolution broke out in Iran in 1979.
The Pakistani military stated today that Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, a key mediator in the US-Iran talks, traveled to the Iranian capital Tehran for three days of talks and has concluded his trip.
A Pakistani source familiar with the mediation efforts said the US-Iran talks might first reach a preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), before attempting to finalize a comprehensive peace agreement within 60 days.
Sources revealed that during the weekend talks, the U.S. demanded Iran suspend all nuclear activities for 20 years, but Iran proposed a suspension of only 3 to 5 years. However, two Iranian sources indicated there are signs both sides might reach a compromise to remove part of the nuclear stockpile.
In a telephone interview with Reuters, Trump stated the U.S. might not take quick action: "We will work with Iran at a rather leisurely pace, and we will go there and use large machinery to dig, and we will bring things back to the United States." (Compiled by: Chang Cheng-chien) 1150418
Stand with the facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to guard press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First Hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.