Iran war: Hormuz standoff casts shadow over ceasefire talks
Published April 23, 2026last updated April 23, 2026
What you need to know
- Iran's Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said a full ceasefire could only hold if Washington lifts its blockade of Iranian ports
- Iranian officials say no delegation would go to Pakistan until the blockade is lifted
- The impasse has effectively shut the crucial Strait of Hormuz
Here is a roundup of the latest developments from the Iran war on Thursday, April 23:
IN DEPTH: School's out in Iran: No phone, no internet, no classes
Iran's schools are closed because of the war. Classes are being held via TV programs and the national intranet. Children without a laptop or smartphone are left out. The country is effectively cut off from the internet.
Read more in this report by DW's Shabnam von Hein.
Lebanon, Israel to discuss ceasefire extension in Washington
Israeli and Lebanese officials are expected to hold a second round of direct talks in Washington on Thursday. Representatives are reportedly considering the extension of the 10-ceasefire that took effect last Friday.
Beirut has signaled that it would request a one-month extension before the truce expires in the coming days.
Lebanese officials also planned to raise concerns over widespread demolitions carried out by the Israeli military in the south during the negotiations.
The talks come a day after Israeli air strikes on Lebanon killed at least five people, including Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil.
Lebanese authorities say Israeli attacks have killed at least 2,454 people since the war began.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Wednesday that Israel had no "serious disagreements" with Lebanon, calling the Hezbollah militant group "the obstacle to peace and normalization."
A Hezbollah lawmaker told the AFP news agency the group could accept indirect talks with Israel mediated by the United States.
Iran executes man with alleged ties to MEK, Israeli intelligence
Iran executed a man convicted of ties to the exiled opposition group Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) and Israel's intelligence service, the judiciary's Mizan news outlet said on Thursday.
Soltanali Shirzadi Fakhr, according to Mizan, was a long-time MEK member and found guilty of cooperating with Israeli intelligence.
The report said the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, which was carried out after legal procedures were completed.
On Wednesday, Iranian authorities had executed a man, Mehdi Farid by hanging after convicting him of ties to the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.
Oil jumps as Iran keeps Hormuz shut despite truce extension
Oil prices surged on Thursday despite US President Donald Trump's extension of the Iran war ceasefire.
Tehran has said it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to allow shipping traffic as long as a US naval blockade remains in place.
Crude prices jumped as much as 4% in early Asian trading, with the international oil benchmark Brent crude jumping 3.5% overnight to cross $100. Brent crude futures rose 0.6% to $102.47 a barrel.
Oil prices have climbed significantly since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Brent crude was trading around $70 before the start of the conflict.
Countries around the world are experiencing an energy security shock amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the war.
Hormuz standoff casts shadow over Iran ceasefire talks
The fragile peace in the Middle East teetered uncertainly on Wednesday as Iran fired on three and seized two international vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, casting a shadow over prospects for renewed peace talks.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was extending the truce to allow more time for negotiations mediated by Pakistan. On Wednesday, the White House said Trump had not set a new deadline for the truce to expire.
But Iranian officials did not publicly endorse the move and said no decision had been taken on attending a new round of talks.
Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said a full ceasefire could only hold if Washington lifts its blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran considers the blockade an act of war.
"Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible with such flagrant breach of the ceasefire," Qalibaf wrote on X.
Iran has not decided whether to join new talks, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told state media. Tehran accused the United States of acting in bad faith.
Earlier, Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, the head of the Iranian mission in Egypt, told the AP news agency that no delegation would go to Pakistan until Washington lifts its blockade.
No traffic through Hormuz
The impasse has effectively shut the crucial Strait of Hormuz, straining economies across the world.
"We should know where we stand. Is it going to be a ceasefire, peace, or the war is going to continue?" 59-year-old Tehran resident Mashallah Mohammad Sadegh told AP. "The way things currently are, one doesn't know what to do."
Welcome to our coverage
Welcome to our rolling coverage of the US-Israeli war with Iran and the situation across the Middle East.
Here are the major developments from Wednesday:
- Iran's Revolutionary Guard seized 2 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz
- Donald Trump's ceasefire extension was met with skepticism in Tehran
- Iran said the ceasefire only makes sense if the US blockade is lifted
- Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran, arrived in Berlin for talks
- The war and blockades are fueling a crisis for the world's aviation sector
- In Lebanon, a Lebanese journalist was killed in an Israeli strike
- Lebanon reported more than 62,000 damaged or destroyed housing units, some after the ceasefire
Stay tuned for all the latest developments from the US-Israeli war with Iran on Thursday.