-- Iran's new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said Thursday that a new phase is unfolding in the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran will ensure the security of the waterway.
"A new chapter for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is unfolding," Khamenei said in a post on X, adding that US presence remains "the main source of instability in the region."
"The brilliant future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the US," Khamenei said, noting that regional progress and prosperity should develop independently of foreign influence.
He added that Iran shared "a common destiny with our neighbors surrounding the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman," emphasizing regional cooperation and alignment.
"The Islamic Iran... will ensure the security of the Persian Gulf," Khamenei said, highlighting Iran's role in managing the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran reportedly proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting its naval blockade and ending the war, while deferring nuclear talks.
The proposal followed President Donald Trump's decision to cancel sending representatives to Islamabad for a second round of negotiations.
Trump said the US will continue the naval blockade until Iran addresses Washington's concerns over its nuclear program, Trump told Axios in a Wednesday phone interview.
"The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing," President Donald Trump said, adding that the US will maintain pressure until Iran agrees to a nuclear deal.
Shipping data showed all 12 verified transits on April 29 moved west to east with no return traffic, highlighting directional imbalance in flows, according to MarineTraffic in a Thursday post, citing Kpler data.
Transit volumes rose slightly from the prior day but remained below earlier peaks, with activity shifting toward dry cargo such as steel and cement while tanker participation stayed limited, the data showed.
A total of about 2,000 commercial vessels are trapped inside the Gulf, while 400 tankers and LNG and LPG carriers are waiting outside the Strait, according to the Hormuz Strait Monitor.
Brent crude fell 3.35% to $114.08 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate declined 2.05% to $104.69, reflecting continued pressure on oil prices amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.