Akshay DidwaniyaIran’s Parliament Speaker and chief nuclear negotiator Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf confirmed on June 30 that the United States has completely removed its naval blockade on Iran. He stressed that Iranian merchant ships and oil tankers now move freely through the Gulf of Oman without any restrictions.
The United States has completely removed its naval blockade on Iran. Iran’s Parliament Speaker and the head of Iran’s negotiating team with the US, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, made this announcement publicly.
US forces, acting under an order from President Donald Trump, lifted the naval blockade on Iranian ports and coastal zones. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) of the Pentagon announced this development on June 18.
“Yes… you saw that Trump announced this, and it hasn’t even been 30 days yet (as the memorandum had envisioned — ed.),” Qalibaf said during a live broadcast on Iranian state television. He made the comment while responding to a direct question about whether the US had fully lifted Iran’s naval blockade.
He further stressed that Iranian merchant vessels and oil tankers now enjoy complete freedom of movement. No obstacles exist when they pass through the Gulf of Oman, he added.
Iran and the United States remotely signed a memorandum on the night of June 18. The deal laid out a framework for ending the military conflict that began on February 28. The memorandum also set out a clear timetable: the US would lift the naval blockade, and Iran would restore open navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under the agreement, Iran also commits to not acquiring nuclear weapons. A separate deal will address Iran’s nuclear program specifically. Both sides will hold dedicated talks on that matter within 60 days. For Tehran, the expected outcome of these negotiations is the lifting of long-standing anti-Iran sanctions.
Mayur Mohta
Aditya Didwaniya
Pratik Agrawal