Iran has reversed its earlier move to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, tightening its control again as tensions remain high with the United States over an ongoing blockade on Iranian ports.
The decision, announced by Iran’s military through state-linked media on Saturday, comes just hours after signs that limited maritime movement could resume in the narrow waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most sensitive energy passages, with nearly a fifth of global crude oil and petroleum products passing through it. It had been reopened on Friday after being largely shut during the recent US-Israeli conflict involving Iran, a situation that had already strained global energy flows and raised fears of a wider crisis.
Iran’s move to shut it again signals continued pressure in the standoff with Washington, which has maintained restrictions on Iranian ports. The back-and-forth decisions have added uncertainty to global shipping and energy markets already shaken by weeks of tension in the region.
At the same time, Iran announced a partial reopening of its airspace, allowing international flights to cross its eastern region. According to its Civil Aviation Authority, this applies only to specific routes.
"Air routes in the eastern section of the country's airspace are open for international flights transiting through Iran," the French AFP news agency quoted the Iranian authority as saying.
In addition, several airports in the country were reported to have resumed operations at 07:00 am local time (0330 GMT) on Saturday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. However, flight tracking platforms such as Flightradar24 showed no visible air traffic over Iranian airspace hours after the announced reopening, raising questions about how quickly operations were actually resuming.
The developments come as political pressure continues to build between Tehran and Washington. On Friday, US President Donald Trump suggested the fragile ceasefire arrangement with Iran could be reconsidered if no longer-term agreement is reached within days.
"Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade (on Iranian ports) is going to remain," Trump told reporters on Air Force One en route to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona.
He further warned of renewed military escalation, saying, "So you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we have to start dropping bombs again,"
Trump also hinted at possible diplomatic movement but gave no details, stating, "We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran,"
He added that he would issue a public statement later, but clarified it would not be about Iran.
The shifting decisions on both maritime and airspace access highlight the fragile situation in the region, where temporary openings are quickly followed by reversals, keeping global markets and diplomatic channels on edge.