U.S. Central Command announced Thursday that American forces have lifted a blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports and coastal waters. The action is part of a ceasefire arrangement between the two countries and begins a 60-day period intended to produce a broader, final agreement.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed this week, Iran has agreed to allow commercial and oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz without charge for 60 days. The document says future administration and maritime services in the strait will be decided afterward by Iran in coordination with Oman and other Persian Gulf states. Iranian officials have indicated they may seek to impose service fees later, a move industry analysts say would raise legal questions because the strait is an international waterway.
When shipping will return to pre-conflict volumes is uncertain. International and U.S. officials say the major impediment remains mines and other hazards placed by Iran, which U.S. and allied forces are still working to clear. The U.S. Navy will remain in the region to monitor compliance with the ceasefire, Central Command said. The agreement also lifts U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports for the duration of the arrangement, allowing those shipments to move through the strait.
Vice President Vance, who is leading U.S. negotiations with Iran, defended the memorandum at a White House briefing and said he expects to travel to Switzerland as early as this weekend to continue talks. He emphasized the administration believes it retains leverage, saying the United States holds “all the cards” and that Iran will not reap significant benefits until it demonstrates verifiable changes in behavior. He also characterized the temporary lifting of the blockade as a restoration of pre-blockade trade, noting Iran sold oil for years before the U.S. restrictions were imposed.
The 14-point memorandum provides a broad framework for a ceasefire and future cooperation but leaves major issues unresolved to be negotiated over the next 60 days. Among the thornier items are a stated extension of the ceasefire to Lebanon, which would require cooperation from Israelis who are not party to the current agreement, and plans for a proposed 300 billion dollar fund aimed at reconstruction and economic development in Iran to be worked out with regional partners.
Negotiators also still need to decide the details of lifting sanctions and the disposition of Iran’s stockpiled enriched nuclear material. Those topics are listed as subjects to be settled within the 60-day window.
For now, the ceasefire has halted overt naval restrictions and opened a narrow path toward wider diplomacy. Whether the pause yields a durable settlement will depend on the upcoming negotiations and on how quickly maritime hazards can be removed so shipping can resume safely and reliably through the Strait of Hormuz.