OAN Staff Addie Davis
9:58 AM – Sunday, April 19, 2026
U.S. envoys will head to Pakistan to engage in another round of peace talks with Iran, which follows the Islamic Republic’s apparent violation of the ceasefire between the two countries by firing on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz–A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!” President Donald Trump posted to social media on Sunday morning.
“Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it,” Trump added.
Media reports also claimed that Iran fired on two Indian-flagged vessels in the strait.
This follows Trump’s Friday announcement that the Strait of Hormuz was “COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS AND FULL PASSAGE.” Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Seyed Abbas Araghchi also affirmed this on his X account on Friday.
“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran,” the minister said.
The speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, however, posted later the same day that the strait will not remain open while the U.S. naval blockade continues, stating that passage through the strait will be conducted based on the “designated route” and with “Iranian authorization.”
Trump said Friday that the naval blockade would “REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.” He further added that the process should be quick as most of the points had already been negotiated.
“Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it,” Trump said Sunday, also highlighting the financial hit it has on the Middle Eastern country.
“They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day!”
The U.S. commander-in-chief also reiterated his ultimatum for Iran to make a deal.
“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” he said.
“They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!” he continued.
The president announced his representatives are going to Islamabad Monday evening for negotiations with Iran, ahead of the end of the two-week ceasefire established between the countries on April 7th, ET. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are reportedly attending the talks. Despite the president previously saying that Vice President JD Vance would not be in attendance, the White House confirmed that Vance will be a part of the talks, according to CNN.
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