State Media Criticize Araghchi’s Hormuz Tweet, Claim It Enabled Trump’s Victory Declaration

Iran’s state media issued rare and sharply worded criticism against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the negotiating team after he announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on X, stating that the move created confusion and allowed Trump an opportunity to claim victory.
“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by the Ports and Maritime Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Araghchi posted on X on Friday.
Minutes later, US President Donald Trump stated, “Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran [sic] is fully open and ready for full passage.”
Araghchi’s post drew widespread criticism from hardliners and their affiliated media, including the state-run Mehr News, which commented that Araghchi’s tweet “provided the best opportunity for Trump to go beyond reality, declare himself the winner of the war, and celebrate victory.”
“It is clear that ceasefire-related negotiations are not being handled solely by the Foreign Ministry. Therefore, it is natural that under these circumstances, the entire team should collectively explain the decisions that have been made,” Mehr News added.
Tasnim News Agency described the post as a “bad and incomplete tweet that created misleading ambiguity about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
The IRGC-affiliated outlet stated that the announcement lacked “necessary and sufficient explanations” regarding the conditions, mechanisms, and restrictions governing vessel transit, leading to widespread questions.
Fellow IRGC outlet Fars News Agency had earlier quoted an informed source close to the Supreme National Security Council, who stated that the Strait’s reopening was subject to three conditions:
“Ships must be commercial. The passage of military vessels is prohibited, and neither the ships nor their cargo may be linked to hostile countries. Vessels must pass through routes designated by Iran, and transit must be coordinated with Iranian forces responsible for managing passage.”
The source added that Iran considers the continuation of a US naval blockade a violation of the ceasefire and would close the Strait of Hormuz again if the blockade is not lifted.
Tasnim noted that Araghchi’s post on X lacked “any verbal explanation or at least sufficient written clarification,” which it deemed “complete poor judgment in communication.”
The outlet urged either the Foreign Ministry to revise its approach or the Supreme National Security Council to intervene and impose a more coherent messaging framework.
The criticism was echoed by Fars News Agency, which directly addressed authorities and questioned their silence.
“Officials, at least explain the reason for your ‘lack of explanation,'” Fars wrote, warning that the absence of clear communication had left the public in a “state of confusion.”
It added that “while citizens trust officials to uphold national red lines, they still expect transparency about why details are being withheld.”
Fars also cautioned that without clear messaging, “the narrative of the enemy and hostile media” could fill the gap, adding that “this ‘lack of explanation’ itself needs explanation.”
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