WASHINGTON: The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Thursday that American forces lifted their naval blockade of Iranian ports after more than two months of preventing ships from sailing from or to the Islamic Republic.
“Today, U.S. forces lifted the blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas,” US Central Command said in a post on X.
CENTCOM added that American warships “will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect.”
Today, U.S. forces lifted the blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, in accordance with the President's direction. American forces are not impeding the transit of vessels to or from Iranian ports. All U.S. military blockade…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 18, 2026
The US naval blockade of Iranian ports was lifted after the US and Iran signed a historic Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding was signed by US President Donald Trump, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and mediator Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Prime Minister Sharif, who mediated the agreement, said on X that it “shall enter into force with immediate effect.”
Vance slams Israel over criticism of US-Iran deal
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that Israel would need to respect the peace process launched under the Islamabad MoU. He criticised a “weird panic” and “freak out” among some Israeli officials over the agreement.
Vance, in an interview with the New York Times, defended the US-Iran deal amid criticism from Israeli politicians.
Later, speaking at a press briefing at the White House, Vance said Israel will have to respect the peace process with Iran, which he said was good for them, adding that attacks in Beirut that kill civilians were “not acceptable”.
Vance rebuked members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, criticising the Iran deal, saying they should “wake up and smell the reality.”
“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance said.
The US Vice President said that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran was “bearing real fruit”, citing increased oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, falling energy prices and early signs of compliance by Tehran.
Vance said 12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz overnight, describing it as the highest level since the start of the conflict.
“Last night, 12.5 million barrels of oil went through the Strait of Hormuz, which is a high since the beginning of the conflict,” Vance told reporters.
He said global energy prices were declining as a result of the agreement.
“Oil prices are down, nearly at their level from pre-war … gas prices dropped below $4 a gallon today for the first time since the conflict, and importantly, they’re going to keep falling further given how low oil prices,” he said.
