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15:09
Iran Says Strait Of Hormuz 'Completely Open' During Israel-Lebanon Cease-Fire; Trump Says US Blockade Of Iranian Ports Remains In Place
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global trade, will be "completely open" for the duration of the cease-fire signed between Lebanon and Israel.
US President Donald Trump posted a thank-you message shortly after the Iranian announcement but said the US blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place until Washington and Tehran reach a deal to end the war.
"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 Organization of the Islamic Rep. of Iran," he wrote in a social media post on April 17.
Trump then posted on his Truth Social platform: "IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!"
In a subsequent post, he said the US blockade would "remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete." He said he expects a resolution will come "very quickly," asserting that "most of the points are already negotiated."
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transits, has been effectively closed amid US-Israeli air attacks on Iran that started on February 28 and Tehran's retaliatory strikes at targets around the Middle East, including ships in the Persian Gulf.
The United States imposed the blockade, aimed at preventing ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports, on April 13.
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13:32
Iran's Internet Blackout Shows No Signs Of Ending
Nearly 50 days after Iran imposed a near-total nationwide Internet shutdown, two members of Iran's parliament have offered a glimpse of the authorities thinking on the restrictions.
Fazlollah Ranjbar, a member of the parliament's Social Affairs Commission, said on April 17 in an interview with the semiofficial ILNA news agency that "it may not be advisable for the Internet to be available under such circumstances."
Deputies in parliament still have unfiltered access to the Internet.
The Internet is one of the "bridges through which the enemy can gain entry and create cohesion between hostile forces," Ranjbar said. "The enemy was able to create problems for the country at times with the tools and weapons of the Internet."
The deputy also alluded to compensation worth billions of dollars for businesses damaged by the Internet outage, saying: "This is a decision that must be made after the war...[although] it is not possible to announce right now that compensation will be paid immediately."
Ahmad Bakhshish Ardestani, a deputy and member of parliament's National Security Commission, was also skeptical about lifting the restrictions, saying that the West was working hard to bring the Internet back to Iran.
Ardestani said that the restrictions would be lifted "quickly after the agreement," an apparent reference to a possible future peace deal stemming from current negotiations.
Following the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran on February 28, the Iranian authorities cut off ordinary people's access to the Internet. In January, there was another near-total shutdown as the country was engulfed by nationwide protests. That cut-off lasted around 20 days.
In April, Iran set a world record with 36 days for the longest time that a previously connected society had been cut off from the Internet. According to web access monitor Netblocks on April 17, ordinary Iranians have not had access to the web for 49 days or 1,152 hours.
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10:44
Iran Cancels Army Day Parade
The annual parade is usually held on April 18.
The spokesman for Iran's army, Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia, has announced that it is not possible to hold the Army Day parade this year, saying that "the current cease-fire is no different to war conditions."
The first Army Day, marked annually on April 18, was held in 1979 shortly after the Islamic Revolution. It was established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to demonstrate the Iranian armys loyalty to the new Islamic republic. It was first held in Tehran and later expanded to other cities during the 198088 Iran-Iraq war.
The parade was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and the following year it was held in a closed format because of continued restrictions.
Instead of a parade, Akraminia said, cultural programs will be held in the barracks and officers and soldiers will also attend Friday Prayers.
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10:14
France Says European Countries Could Ensure Safe Passage Through Strait Of Hormuz
French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said on April 17 that European countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, and France possess mine-clearance capabilities that could help secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
In an interview with TF1 television, Vautrin said there are "possibilities to provide fully supported escorts for ships -- escorts that are in no way aggressive and are aimed at ensuring safe passage through the strait. This will be discussed today in Paris."
France and the United Kingdom are cohosting a meeting on April 17 in Paris involving around 40 countries. The meeting is focusing on planning a multilateral, defensive mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has effectively blocked or severely restricted shipping through the strait since the war began on February 28, causing a major disruption to global energy markets.
Since April 13, the United States has blockaded Iranian ports and coastal areas, targeting all maritime traffic entering or exiting Iran, while allowing transit through the strait to non-Iranian destinations.
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05:31
Two Iranian Women Soccer Players Thank Australia For 'Safe Haven'
Two Iranian women's soccer players thanked the Australian government on April 17 for offering a "safe haven" and said they wanted to resume their sporting careers
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, in their first public comments since being granted humanitarian visas, said in a statement that the support shown to them had given them hope for a future in which they could live and compete in safety.
"We wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Australian government, and particularly Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, for granting us humanitarian protection and a safe haven in this beautiful country," they said.
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