On Wednesday, April 8 Iranian state media reported that Iran had decided to close the Strait of Hormuz due to Israel’s continued strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the claim was untrue, and that President Donald Trump had been informed of the situation.
At a White House press briefing, Leavitt said the president had already taken note of Iranian state media reports about the “closure of the strait” before she took the podium. She stressed that such an action would be “completely unacceptable” and said Iran’s messaging to the outside world was clearly contradictory.
“This once again shows that what Iran says publicly and what it communicates privately are two different things,” she said. She also noted that current observations show traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has actually increased.
Leavitt reiterated that the president’s position is clear: the Strait of Hormuz must “resume transit immediately, rapidly, and safely.”
Iranian media claims oil tankers have stopped transiting the strait
Earlier on Wednesday, Fars News Agency—affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—reported that although two oil tankers had passed through the strait earlier in the day with Iranian permission, tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was later halted.
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The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) also issued a similar report, attributing the suspension of maritime movement to Israel’s ongoing military strikes in Lebanon.
Ship brokerage firm SSY confirmed to BBC Verify that multiple vessels sailing in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman received radio warnings via international maritime channels from the IRGC Navy.
The message stated: “All ships are advised that transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Any vessel must obtain IRGC permission before passing, otherwise it will be targeted and destroyed.”
SSY tanker research director Claire Grierson told BBC Verify that the company confirmed crews aboard multiple ships had indeed heard the broadcast.
Leavitt: Iran’s ‘10-point plan’ was rejected
On negotiations, Leavitt also rejected claims that the United States had accepted all of Iran’s conditions.
She said Iran initially submitted a “10-point plan,” which was “thrown directly into the trash” by President Trump and his negotiating team. She added that media reports claiming the proposal had been accepted were false.
She further explained that as a key deadline approached Tuesday night at 8 p.m., Iran “recognized reality” and then submitted a “more reasonable and completely different” new proposal. The White House assessed that the revised proposal could serve as a basis for negotiations and was aligned with a U.S. “15-point plan.”
Leavitt emphasized that the U.S. position remains unchanged: President Trump’s red lines are clear, and Iran must stop all uranium enrichment activities inside the country. She said it would be “absurd” to believe Trump would accept Iran’s wish list as a deal.
Trump: fighting in Lebanon not part of ceasefire deal
There are also clear disagreements over the scope of the ceasefire.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed that ending the fighting in Lebanon should be part of the ceasefire agreement. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump both stated that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire arrangement.
In an interview with PBS, Trump said Israel’s military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah are not part of the two-week ceasefire agreement reached with Iran.
“This is a separate conflict, everyone knows that, and it’s not part of the agreement,” he said. When asked whether he supported Israel continuing strikes against the Iran-backed group, Trump replied: “They’re not part of the agreement. This will be handled, no problem.”
Trump also rejected various alleged “ceasefire details” circulating online and in the media. Iranian state media had previously claimed its proposal included U.S. troop withdrawals from regional bases, lifting sanctions on Iran, and Iran retaining control over the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said many of the reported deals, lists, and letters circulating were coming from people who had nothing to do with U.S.-Iran negotiations, including “fraudsters, charlatans, and worse.” He said they would be exposed after federal investigations.
Trump emphasized that there is only one set of core points that are acceptable and meaningful to the United States. These would be discussed in closed-door negotiations and form the basis for any agreed ceasefire. He said the terms are reasonable and easily manageable.
