Vance says US allows more than dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting blockade under deal

WorldPolitics
18 Jun 2026 • 11:38 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Vance says US allows more than dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting blockade under deal

Vice President JD Vance says the U.S. Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war.

Vance made the announcement Thursday at a White House press briefing, where he said more oil is now flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Republican vice president says more than 12.5 million barrels went through the shipping channel Wednesday night.

Vance says that’s the highest since the conflict began in late February. Vance says the U.S. is honoring its end of the early part of the agreement on the military side.