Turkey Urges Immediate Reopening of Strait of Hormuz
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for the strategic waterway of the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened “as soon as possible”. This appeal was made after US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the failure of negotiations with Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, the main route for global oil and gas shipments, has been affected by the war between the US and Israel against Iran that has been raging since late February. Passage activity on this vital waterway has been effectively restricted by Tehran while the war continues.
However, Iran has permitted certain ships deemed related to friendly countries, such as China, to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. There are even unconfirmed reports that Tehran plans to impose toll fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz has heated up further after Trump ordered the US Navy to blockade the strait, angered by Iran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear ambitions following the failure of peace talks held in Pakistan without any agreement.
Fidan, speaking to the Anadolu Agency news office as reported by AFP on Monday (13/4/2026), said there is a fundamental difference between keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and being part of the war against Iran. He stated that no country wants the latter option.
“Negotiations with Iran must be conducted, methods of persuasion must be used, and the strait must be opened as soon as possible,” Fidan asserted in his statement.
Fidan stated that Turkey supports the peaceful reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that the world wants free and uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump, in a lengthy social media statement announcing the blockade, said the ultimate goal of the US is to clear the Strait of Hormuz of sea mines and reopen it for all shipping, but Iran must not be allowed to profit from its control over the strategic waterway.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Best in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING all ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz. Any Iranian who shoots at us, or peaceful ships, will be ANNIHILATED!” Trump emphasised.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, has announced that the blockade of all Iranian ports began on Monday (13/4) local time.
The Iranian military, in its response, condemned the US sea blockade as illegal and tantamount to piracy. Tehran also warned that no ports in the Gulf region will be safe if Iran’s own ports are threatened.
“If the security of the ports of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea is threatened, no ports in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea will be safe,” emphasised Iran’s military command centre, Khatam Al-Anbiya.