ToplineIran disputed President Donald Trump’s claims it would give the U.S. its enriched uranium Friday, threatening to derail peace negotiations after they appeared to make headway earlier in the day when Iran said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks as a map of the Strait of Hormuz is displayed during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesKey FactsIranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqei told state TV “Iran’s enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere.”Trump told CBS News earlier Friday that Iran has “agreed to everything,” including working with the U.S. to extract its enriched uranium and take it back to the U.S., a claim he has made repeatedly in recent days.Speaking to reporters about the Strait of Hormuz on Friday evening, Trump said the peace deal will need to be signed, not just agreed to, for the U.S. to end its blockade of the crucial shipping route.Trump also told CBS News that Iran has agreed to stop backing Hamas and Hezbollah, two militant groups that have been fighting Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively.Iran has yet to confirm those details and has said previously that continuation of its nuclear enrichment program was a requirement for a long-term peace plan. Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial shipping traffic Friday, citing Thursday’s ceasefire with Israel in Lebanon, Trump said the U.S. Naval blockade on Iran will remain in effect until a permanent peace deal is reached.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tweeted Friday “the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire,” referring to the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that took effect Thursday.Calling the passage the “Strait of Iran,” Trump celebrated the news in a Truth Social post Friday, and said Iran is removing mines from the strait and has “agreed to never close” it again.Big Number$84.75. That’s how much crude oil was trading for in the U.S. as of 3:30 p.m. ET, a 10% drop since Iran announced it was reopening the strait.What To Watch ForFrench President Emmanual Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer are hosting a meeting in Paris Friday to discuss the international coalition they’re spearheading to help secure the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict officially ends. U.S. allies have refused to aid the U.S. in the strait so far, angering Trump. He said Friday, after Iran announced the strait was reopened, he “received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.Key BackgroundThe flow of vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been debated repeatedly since the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire with Iran on April 8. The U.S. said the agreement included reopening the strait, though Iran closed it almost immediately after it was reached when Israel continued to attack Lebanon. Israel and the U.S. insisted Lebanon was not covered in the agreement. Iran seized control of the strait shortly after the U.S. launched its initial strikes at the end of February, and it has been tolling shipping companies in order to pass. The U.S. implemented a naval blockade on ships traveling to and from Iran starting Monday, and military officials said Thursday the blockade would be expanded to international waters, with Gen. Dan Caine telling reporters the U.S. Navy “will actively pursue any Iranian flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” including in the Pacific. The ceasefire announced Thursday between Israel and Lebanon ended Israel’s continued attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah that threatened to derail the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. Further ReadingChina Denounces ‘Irresponsible’ U.S. Blockade Of Hormuz As Xi Says International Order Is ‘Crumbling’ (Forbes)Iran Warns Military Ships In Strait Of Hormuz Violate Ceasefire After Trump’s Blockade Threat (Forbes)Russia Offers To Help China With Energy Supplies Amid U.S. Blockade Of Iranian Oil (Forbes)
Iran Denies Trump's Claim It Will Give Up Enriched Uranium
Trump has said repeatedly in recent days Iran has agreed to give up what he refers to as its “nuclear dust.”










