Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on April 18, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The Strait of Hormuz remained closed on Sunday (April 19, 2026) in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran’s powerful speaker of parliament signalling a final peace deal was “far” off despite movement in negotiations.
As mediation efforts continued following high-level talks in Pakistan that failed to reach a deal, Iran said it would not reopen the crucial maritime trade route until the United States ended its blockade of Iranian ports.
Published – April 19, 2026 04:57 pm IST