US President Donald Trump told reporters on 17 April 2026 that Iran had agreed to keep the Strait of Hormuz 'open forever' and that Israel had agreed to halt its bombing campaign in Lebanon. Both claims were contradicted within hours by Iranian officials publicly and by a fatal Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon.
Iranian authorities stated the strait would remain open only temporarily, for the duration of a 10-day ceasefire, and that they had not agreed to a permanent, unrestricted opening. The contradictions came as Trump distributed statements to multiple news outlets throughout the day, including Bloomberg and CBS, declaring diplomatic victories in both matters.
