Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz could take weeks to resume, the world’s largest tanker operator has said, despite Donald Trump’s insistence the vital waterway is already “partially opened” to traffic.
Jotaro Tamura, CEO of Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines, told the FT that it was not enough for shipping companies to see a “simple agreement between the relevant companies” to resume shipping and assuage down global energy prices.
"Given the experiences in the last couple of months, I think it’s reasonable to assume that it may take at least a couple of weeks or if not a month," Tamura said, before Trump announced a preliminary arrangement with Iran.
The framework deal between the US and Iran was already under pressure on Monday as Israel suggested it would stay in Lebanon despite the reported agreement stipulating the conflict would be ended on all fronts.
Trump was in France on Tuesday for the second day of the G7 summit with the leaders of France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan. Meetings will focus on ending the Middle East crisis, and security for Europe.
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Key Points
- Vance says Trump may release US-Iran agreement before Friday
- Strait of Hormuz transit will take ‘weeks’ to resume
- Trump claims Iran agreed to never obtain a nuclear weapon
- Strait of Hormuz to be 'toll-free' under Iran deal
- Oil rebounds on concerns about US-Iran peace deal
- CIA director raised doubts Iran will make nuclear concessions: report
Strait of Hormuz reopening will take 'weeks', tanker giant says
08:30 , James ReynoldsShipowners will not resume crossing the Strait of Hormuz for weeks until they are confident the US-Iran deal is ‘material’, the head of Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines said in an interview published today.
Mitsui OSK, one of Japan’s big three shipping firms has a fleet of more than 900 vessels, including bulk carriers, tankers and ferries.
“What will have to come in place is not just a simple agreement between the relevant countries, but it has to be material and translated into the real situations in the Strait of Hormuz, so that shipping lines can make themselves comfortable to go through,” Mitsui OSK's Jotaro Tamura told FT before US President Donald Trump announced a deal to end the war in Iran.
“Given the experiences in the last couple of months, I think it’s reasonable to assume that it may take at least a couple of weeks or if not a month,” Tamura told the paper.
The agreement between Washington and Tehran being finalised had not changed Tamura's view, the FT report said.
Iran coach says his team are being 'oppressed' after drawing with New Zealand
08:00 , James ReynoldsIran’s national team coach said that his team were being “oppressed” due to last-minute travel changes stemming from tensions between Iran and the United States, after they were held to a draw with New Zealand overnight.
Amir Ghalenoei said the disruption had affected the team’s performance in the group stage opener in Los Angeles. Iran were the favourites to win over New Zealand, the lowest ranked team in the competition, but drew 2-2.
The Iranian football federation had negotiated a late move of the team’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico amid uncertainty over US visas and a growing sense that the squad’s presence in the United States should be kept to a minimum, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico has said.
Ghalenoei said the team had endured further disruption, with Iran expecting to remain in LA overnight but instead being required to return immediately to Mexico.
“We’re supposed to stay here tonight to recover and return tomorrow lunchtime, but they haven’t permitted us,” he said. “To be honest, I have no idea why. I think perhaps our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup."
Iran forward Mehdi Taremi said the restrictions were preventing them from playing their best at the tournament.
"It's not good for us. I think it's not good for football," he said. "I think FIFA have to help us more than this."
Taremi described a rushed atmosphere on Sunday, with travel from Tijuana to Los Angeles, then to their hotel and finally to the stadium to see the pitch. They should have had two days to settle in to LA, he added.
"It's so bad and it affects our team and we just want peace," said Taremi.
Asian shares are mostly higher and Japan's Nikkei tops 70,000
07:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAsian shares mostly gained and Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 briefly topped 70,000 for the first time today before trimming early gains after the Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate to 1 per cent.
The quarter percentage point hike took the benchmark rate to its highest level in three decades.
By early afternoon, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.6 per cent at 69,713.05, while South Korea's Kospi moved further into record territory, gaining 2.1 per cent to 8,721.64.
The Shanghai Composite gained less than 0.1 per cent to 4,100.53.
More here.
Asian shares are mostly higher and Japan's Nikkei tops 70,000 before BOJ rate hike
Belgian MP carries pre-revolution Iran flag at World Cup
07:10 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarBelgian lawmaker Darya Safai shared a picture of her carrying Iran’s pre-revolution Lion and Sun flag into a stadium in Los Angeles despite a ban imposed by Fifa.
"I proudly carried the real Iranian flag, the historic Lion and Sun, into the stadium in Los Angeles despite FIFA’s ban," she wrote on X.
"No ideological flag can take the place of our Lion and Sun."
Watch: Anti-regime protest held ahead of Iran’s first World Cup game
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIndian sailor dies aboard tanker that was diverted to Oman by US military
06:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAn Indian crew member of a ship docked at an Omani port died from medical complications, reportedly after a delay in his evacuation.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India claimed that Nishanth Uirthanathan, 35, from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, died aboard the tanker MT Celestial while it was docked at Duqm Port.
The union said Uirthanathan died at around 6pm local time on 11 June after “falling seriously ill” three days earlier.
More here.
Indian sailor dies aboard tanker that was diverted to Oman by US military
Lebanese return home to destruction after word of an initial US-Iran deal
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran draw 2-2 with New Zealand in politically charged World Cup clash
06:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in an exciting World Cup clash at Los Angeles Stadium, as protests against Tehran's government and a tentative agreement to end the US-Iran war formed a charged backdrop to the match.
New Zealand took an early lead when Elijah Just volleyed home from inside the box after being set up by Chris Wood.
The goal was celebrated by some fans critical of the Iranian government, many of whom carried Iran's pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag. Some also booed Iran's national anthem before kickoff.
But most of the crowd of more than 70,000 appeared firmly behind Team Melli, chanting "Ir-ran! Ir-ran!" and erupting when Ramin Rezaeian equalised shortly after the half-hour mark.
Strait of Hormuz transit will take ‘weeks’ to resume
06:05 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarShipowners will not resume transit through the Strait of Hormuz for weeks until they are confident that the US-Iran deal is "material", the chief executive of Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines told the Financial Times.
"What will have to come in place is not just a simple agreement between the relevant countries, but it has to be material and translated into the real situations in the Strait of Hormuz, so that shipping lines can make themselves comfortable to go through," Mitsui OSK's Jotaro Tamura said
Editorial: America has lost its war with Iran
05:56 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIt was never likely that the Islamic Republic of Iran would gift Donald Trump a peace agreement, even a measly one, for his 80th birthday, something he could immediately proclaim after the “historic” cage fight on the south lawn of the White House. However, having falsely declared 39 times since he went to war with Iran in February that peace was at hand, this time might really be different.
If the Pakistani authorities brokering the deal, the Iranians and the Americans all say that the “memorandum of understanding” (MoU) will indeed be signed by the end of the week, then there is, at last, some cause for realistic optimism.
However, caution remains – because the indications are that the as-yet unpublished and (curiously) unleaked MoU will settle comparatively little. It will, in essence, be an undertaking to talk about some future, more durable agreement. If recent history is anything to go by, the obstacles to that will remain formidable. MoU or not, an unstable region has been rendered even more dangerous by the unforced war of choice launched by Israel and America. The world will be coping with its repercussions for months, if not years.
More here.
America has lost its war with Iran
Strait of Hormuz to be 'toll-free' under Iran deal
05:18 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe US said that ships will move toll-free through the Strait of Hormuz under an Iran peace deal signed by president Donald Trump, and insisted Tehran would have to fulfill its commitments before getting any economic benefits.
They included a possible $300bn reconstruction fund for the war-battered country, but the release of funds will be "tied to performance," a senior Trump administration official said in a call with reporters.
Iran's foreign ministry said that the deal would allow it to charge maritime service fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, rather than imposing "tolls".
Trump's Iran deal greeted with scepticism on Capitol Hill
05:06 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRepublicans on Capitol Hill said they need more information about the agreement between the US and Iran announced by president Donald Trump, and some are expressing skepticism as they ask the White House for details.
The agreement announced on Sunday to end the war in Iran, set for a ceremonial signing on Friday in Geneva, is centred around reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US naval blockade in the region, along with financial incentives for Iran if it meets certain benchmarks.
But Senate Republicans and Democrats who returned to Washington said there were still many unanswered questions about the deal and they need thorough briefings before it is finalised.
“I just don't know enough about it," Senate majority leader John Thune told reporters in the Capitol. "Even the people who follow this stuff closely up here don't know that much about it.
"I think that my understanding of what it entails — and, again, not having seen anything — it would require, I think the issues are going to be compliance, and how are you going to enforce that," Thune said.
Thom Tillis of North Carolina asked: "If it's a secret deal then how can I take it seriously?"
Iranian-American congresswoman says deal achieved at 'enormous cost'
04:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIranian-American congresswoman Yassamin Ansari welcomed the US-Iran deal but said it was achieved at an enormous cost.
“An end to the war is a positive step,” Ansari said in a post on X.
“Congress must have an extensive review of any final agreement signed with the Islamic Republic,” the Democratic congresswoman added.
She said that the deal “comes after a conflict that inflicted enormous costs and leaves both the United States and the Iranian people worse off”.
“Tremendous loss of life, international instability, and skyrocketing gas prices. This never should have happened in the first place.”
While we await the final details of the agreement, an end to the war is a positive step. But it comes after a conflict that inflicted enormous costs and leaves both the United States and the Iranian people worse off. Tremendous loss of life, international instability, and…
— Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@RepYassAnsari) June 15, 2026
Oil rebounds on concerns about US-Iran peace deal
04:35 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices rebounded on concerns about the lack of details in a preliminary agreement ending the war between the US and Iran and the realisation the resumption of supply through the key Strait of Hormuz may take longer than thought.
Brent crude futures gained 26 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $83.42 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate rose to $81.12 a barrel, up 46 cents, or 0.3 per cent.
Even with the current agreement, it remains unclear how quickly the curtailed supply will be able to return to the market.
Vance says Trump may release US-Iran agreement before Friday
04:25 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS vice president JD Vance told Fox News that president Donald Trump may decide to release Washington's agreement with Tehran before Friday.
The agreement, which was electronically signed by leaders in the US and Iran, is expected to be signed in person on Friday.
Iranian Americans wave flag as Iran play first World Cup match
04:19 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iranian Americans wave protest flags as Iran play first World Cup match
04:14 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran kicked off their World Cup in Los Angeles in front of a crowd that consisted of both fans cheering them on and Iranian Americans waving symbols of protest against the Tehran government.
The run-up to the match has been one of extraordinary drama off the pitch, with the team playing on US soil barely 24 hours after a peace deal was announced to end the war that began when the US and Israel attacked Iran in February.
The footballers had flown into the US on Sunday from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico.
Los Angeles is home to the biggest Iranian community outside Iran, many of whom fled the country after the Islamic Revolution.
Iranian American football fans say they have been left torn between excitement at seeing the team on the world's biggest stage, anger at Tehran's crackdown on protesters and concern about Washington's bombing campaign.
Watch: Netanyahu delivers statement following US-Iran deal
04:05 , Rachel DobkinRecap: Trump warns he would have 'no choice' but to apply 100 per cent tariffs on French wine if Paris continues US tech giant digital tax
03:45 , Bryony GoochDonald Trump warned in an interview with the New York Post before leaving for the G7 summit that he would "have no choice" but to impose 100 per cent tariffs on French wine unless Paris eliminates its digital tax on US tech giants.
In a social media post just before arriving at the summit, the US president turned to a subject that has been a regular source of tension with centrist European allies: immigration.
"Sadly, if you import people from Third World Countries, you quickly become a Third World Country — And there's not a thing you can do about it”, he wrote.
Trump's tariff threats, which came ahead of a summit that serves as the diplomatic culmination of Emmanuel Macron's second and final term, represent a blow for the unpopular French president. He steps down next year.
Macron is increasingly seen as a lame duck domestically but still has pull on the global stage, and was able to get Trump to agree to a glitzy dinner at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday to mark 250 years of US independence.
Macron told French television channel TF1 that France would not yield to Trump's tariff threats, adding, "Tariffs don't do anyone any good, especially tariffs between G7 countries”.
Trump ratings improve as fear over cost of living eases
03:30 , Alex CroftUS President Donald Trump's approval rating ticked a percentage point higher in recent days to 36 per cent as public dissatisfaction over the cost of living grew less intense, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday.
The four-day poll gathered responses before and after Trump announced on Sunday that he and Iranian leaders had agreed to end a war between the two countries that had pushed gasoline prices sharply higher.
Optimism over peace talks between the two countries has pushed gasoline prices lower in recent weeks, though Americans are still paying roughly a dollar more per gallon at the pump than they were before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.
US-Iran agreement is important step, says Macron
03:00 , Alex CroftThe memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran to end their four-month war is a very important step and will allow for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
"That's a very important step for peace”, Macron said during a press meeting with US President Donald Trump during the G7 summit.
How the world reacted to Donald Trump’s deal to end the Iran war
02:15 , Bryony GoochUS and Iranian officials said on Sunday that they have agreed on a framework to end the war, lift the US blockade of Iranian ports and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
While still a framework, and with details yet to be announced, the deal marks the biggest breakthrough towards resolving the conflict after nearly four months.
The announcement came as a relief to world leaders anticipating lower energy prices once free trade resumes in the Gulf.
Read more from James C. Reynolds:
How the world reacted to Donald Trump’s deal to end the war with Iran
CIA director raised doubts Iran will make nuclear concessions: report
01:56 , Rachel DobkinCIA Director John Ratcliffe told Donald Trump that US intelligence raised doubts that Iran would make the nuclear concessions that the administration is seeking, according to an Axios report.
"The intelligence reflects that the Iranian intentions are not in line with their commitments under the deal," one source told Axios.
A White House official told the publication that the US president “listens to all opinions on any given issue — but everyone understands he is the final decision-maker.”
On Monday, Trump said a peace deal with Iran is “all signed,” and later added that Iran agreed to “never have a Nuclear Weapon!”
The Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran “meets all of the redlines that the administration has long articulated by ensuring that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, they cannot keep their highly enriched uranium, and they cannot hold the world's energy supply hostage”, the White House official said.
Trump claims Iran agreed to never obtain a nuclear weapon
01:25 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump has claimed that Iran agreed to never obtain a nuclear weapon as part of their peace deal to end the war.
“Iran has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday evening, Washington time.
Earlier Monday, Trump said a deal with Iran was “all signed,” but specific details about the agreement have yet to be revealed.
Trump has made clear during the months-long war that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. When he announced the military campaign against Iran in late February, he said Iran posed an imminent threat to the American people with its nuclear ambitions.
