US lifts Iran blockade as Trump-Pezeshkian deal takes effect despite Khamenei's criticism
Story Timeline
2 months · 2 summary articles
US lifts Iran blockade as Trump-Pezeshkian deal takes effect despite Khamenei's criticism
Trump lifts Iran naval blockade as Tehran rejects key deal terms
Follow-up
The United States lifted its naval blockade on Iran on Thursday as an interim US-Iran peace deal took effect, despite fierce criticism from Iran’s supreme leader, who accused President Donald Trump of signing the agreement out of desperation.
The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, mediated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was electronically signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, formally ending the six-month conflict that began in February. Under the terms, Iran immediately reopened the Strait of Hormuz, allowing more than 12 million barrels of oil to pass through Wednesday night, according to US Vice President JD Vance . The US military confirmed the lifting of its blockade on Iranian ports, a move welcomed by global markets but met with skepticism in Tehran.
Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, broke days of silence to endorse the deal while distancing himself from it. In a statement on his Telegram channel, Khamenei acknowledged he had opposed the memorandum but authorized it after assurances from Pezeshkian and Iran’s Supreme National Security Council that the country’s interests and the “Axis of Resistance” would be safeguarded . “I authorized it out of concern and goodwill,” he wrote, adding that Trump had acted “out of desperation.” Khamenei also pledged that Iran would not submit to excessive US demands during upcoming negotiations in Switzerland, scheduled for Friday in Burgenstock.
The deal has strained US-Israeli relations, with Vance warning Israeli critics that Trump remains their “only ally.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the agreement as a “disaster,” while Vance’s remarks in Rome on Wednesday—“Wake up, Trump is the only ally you have left”—deepened tensions . China and Russia welcomed the pact, framing it as a step toward regional stability.
Analysts suggest Iran emerges as the clear beneficiary, securing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a 60-day suspension of transit fees for commercial vessels . The agreement also commits both sides to broader de-escalation, including in Lebanon, where Trump has urged Netanyahu to halt airstrikes. Yet uncertainty lingers over the durability of the framework, with Khamenei’s carefully worded endorsement leaving room for Iran to walk away if negotiations falter.
As the first round of talks looms, the deal’s immediate impact—ceasefires, reopened shipping lanes, and a fragile détente—has upended the Middle East’s geopolitical map. But the coming weeks will test whether the fragile accord can withstand the competing ambitions of its signatories.
Follow us for live European news
- 3
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
3 further sources not geolocated







