Iran links Hormuz access to blockade, counters Trump as markets swing amid fresh uncertainty

A day after the announcement of reopening the Strait of Hormuz eased global markets, Iran on Saturday warned that continued US military pressure could again disrupt access, sharply countering claims by US President Donald Trump and underlining the fragility of the emerging truce.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed Trump’s assertions as “false”, saying Washington’s narrative neither reflected realities on the ground nor strengthened its negotiating position.

“The President of the United States made seven claims in the span of one hour, all seven of which are false,” Ghalibaf said. “With such falsehoods, they did not win the war, and they certainly will not get anywhere in negotiations either.”

In a pointed warning, he said the future of maritime access hinges directly on the US posture. “If the blockade continues, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,” he said, signalling that Tehran could recalibrate its decision to allow commercial shipping despite the ongoing ceasefire.

The remarks come just 24 hours after Iran announced that the Strait would remain open for commercial vessels during the truce, a move that triggered a sharp correction in global energy markets. Brent crude prices fell markedly from recent highs, while equity markets across the US and Europe rallied on expectations of stabilised supply lines.

The Strait, through which nearly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, had been effectively choked since late February following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, sending shockwaves across energy, aviation and fertiliser supply chains worldwide.

While Donald Trump had declared the reopening a major breakthrough and claimed Iran would never again weaponise the passage, Tehran has now drawn a clear distinction between temporary de-escalation and long-term control.

Ghalibaf stressed that any transit through the corridor would remain tightly regulated. “Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will take place based on designated routes and with Iran’s authorisation,” he said, adding that decisions on whether the Strait remains open — and under what conditions — would be determined “on the ground, not on social media”.

He also accused Washington of waging “media warfare” to shape global perception, asserting that such efforts would not influence Iranian public opinion. For accurate updates, he pointed to official diplomatic channels, including ongoing exchanges led by the foreign ministry.

With the ceasefire still tenuous and the blockade in place, the future of the Strait -- a linchpin of global energy security -- now rests not on declarations, but on how negotiations and military postures evolve in the coming days.