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Iran says ships can pass Strait of Hormuz as Trump warns of bombings without a deal

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Special Series Middle East conflict Conflict in the Middle East has been escalating. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.
− By NPR Staff A container ship sits at anchor as a small motorboat passes in the foreground in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on May 2.
+ By NPR Staff A woman crosses a street near a billboard on the facade of a building depicting the Strait of Hormuz with a caption in Persian reading "Forever in Iran's Hand", at Vanak Square in Tehran on May 6, 2026.
− Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP hide caption Iran is assessing the Trump administration's latest proposal to end the war, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Wednesday.
+ AFP via Getty Images hide caption Iranian officials said on Wednesday that they will relate Iran's response to mediating country Pakistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told Iran's ISNA news agency.
− Iran will relate its response to mediating country Pakistan, Baqaei told Iran's ISNA news agency.
+ Middle East conflict Skeletons in their clothing: Recovering bodies from the rubble in Gaza A Pakistani official said Thursday that Islamabad remained hopeful that a deal between the U.S. and Iran would happen soon.
− NPR has not confirmed the details of the proposal, and the White House has not made them public.
+ "If an agreement is reached in Pakistan, it would be an honour for us," said Tahir Andrabi, a spokesman for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, as quoted by Pakistan's daily Dawn.
− Middle East conflict Skeletons in their clothing: Recovering bodies from the rubble in Gaza ISNA said Iran's negotiators are discussing the end of the war, not the nuclear issue, which would come at a later stage of negotiations.
+ NPR has not confirmed the details of the U.S.
+ proposal, and the White House has not made them public. ISNA said Iran's negotiators are discussing the end of the war, not the nuclear issue, which would come at a later stage of negotiations.
The news outlet dismissed U.S.
− news reports about a memorandum of understanding as "media speculation." The comments came after President Trump issued a mixed message about the status of diplomacy with Iran. It follows Trump's sudden suspension Tuesday of a U.S. military effort to help merchant vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz, while continuing a U.S. naval blockade on Iran's ports.
+ news reports about a memorandum of understanding as "media speculation." Loading...
− "Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," Trump wrote online Wednesday morning.
+ Meanwhile, France moved its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Red Sea on Thursday. The deployment of the "Charles de Gaulle" aircraft carrier was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron on social media following a call with Iran's president, Massoud Pezeshkian. He said the "forward deployment" of the carrier was done in the context of the multinational mission established by France and Britain in mid-April to what they said at the time were efforts to restore freedom of navigation. Macron said on Wednesday the mission "can help restore confidence among shipowners and insurers" and that it would "remain distinct from the warring parties." "All parties must lift the blockade of the Strait, without delay and without conditions.
− "If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before." Loading...
+ We must return, on a lasting basis, to the regime of full freedom of navigation that prevailed prior to the conflict," Macron said.
− The Strait of Hormuz — an important passageway for oil, fertilizer and other goods — has been effectively closed since the U.S.
+ Macron added that "recent events clearly demonstrate the utility such a mission would provide." He said he invited the Pezeshkian "to seize this opportunity," and that he "intend to speak with President Trump on this subject." "A return to calm in the Strait will help advance negotiations regarding nuclear issues, ballistic missiles, and the regional situation," Macron said.
+ "The Europeans—upon whom the lifting of sanctions depends—will play their part in this process." A container ship sits at anchor as a small motorboat passes in the foreground in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Saturday, May 2, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/AP/ISNA hide caption The Strait of Hormuz — an important passageway for oil, fertilizer and other goods — has been effectively closed since the U.S.
and Israel launched their attack on Iran on Feb. 28, disrupting global energy supplies and pushing up fuel prices. Iran has attacked commercial ships that try to transit the strait without its approval. The U.S. has imposed its naval blockade since April 13. U.S. Central Command said that, as of Wednesday, its blockade had turned around 52 vessels.
− Central Command said Wednesday that U.S.
+ On Tuesday, Trump suspended a U.S.
− forces disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker heading toward an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman.
+ military effort to help merchant vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz, but kept in place a U.S.
− It said a U.S. fighter jet fired several rounds at the vessel's rudder, after its crew ignored "multiple warnings" that it was violating the U.S. blockade.
+ naval blockade on Iran's ports.
− The ship, Central Command added, was "no longer transiting to Iran," noting that "CENTCOM forces continue to act deliberately and professionally to ensure compliance." Starting Monday, the U.S.
+ "Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," Trump wrote online Wednesday morning.
− launched an effort called "Project Freedom" to break through Iran's stranglehold on the strait. Two U.S.-flagged merchant ships are known to have gotten through during the brief effort. The U.S. military said the operation came under fire from the Iranians and that several Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboats were sunk.
+ "If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before." Iran's Revolutionary Guard on Wednesday said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be provided, but it was not immediately clear how much the move would reopen the shipping route.
− Then on Tuesday, Trump announced the operation was on pause due to "great progress" toward a final agreement with Iran. Iran's Revolutionary Guard on Wednesday said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be provided, but it was not immediately clear how much the move would reopen the shipping route.
"With the end of the aggressors' threats and in light of new procedures, safe and sustainable transit through the strait will be facilitated," the Revolutionary Guard's navy command said in an online statement. It did not give details about the new terms.
− This is a developing story that may be updated.
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