Early Monday morning (June 15), the United States and Iran made an initial agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz, as a prelude to the eventual end of fighting that has lasted for over four months in the region. The opening of the key passage
would help to restore global economic order, as the restrictions have caused steep prices in oil and other goods.
“I hereby fully authorize the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade,” President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
He would later backtrack and state that the Strait’s opening wouldn’t take place until Friday (June 19).
Pakistan, who is a crucial mediator in the talks, stressed, along with Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi, that implementation of the deal wouldn’t begin until the signing, which would take place in Switzerland on Friday.
The deal reportedly includes a 60-day period to produce a resolution to settle the future of Iran’s atomic program as well as determine what should be done with its enriched uranium stockpile. Trump backed out of the accord that Iran had reached with other world leaders back in 2015 during his first term in office.
There are few other confirmed details of the deal. Israel, who at last reporting was preparing to initiate more strikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, has not agreed to end hostilities. The country’s national security minister,
Itamar Ben-Gvir, said in a social media post that the country was not bound to the terms of the deal and that it didn’t
guarantee Israel’s safety.
Qatar, which is also involved in negotiations of the deal, announced that there will be preparatory meetings with both Iran and the U.S. in Doha during the week. When asked if he would attend, Vice President JD Vance said to Fox News, “I certainly plan to be there, but it’s possible the president himself could be there.”
