President Donald Trump on Friday announced he was lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports enacted last month. The move comes amid media reports and administration messaging that Washington and Tehran appear to be drawing closer to a deal that could lead to ending the conflict. Iranian officials have rejected that notion. TWZ cannot confirm either side’s assertions.
“Ships caught in the Strait due to our amazing and unprecedented Naval Blockade, which will now be lifted, may start the process of ‘heading home!’” Trump proclaimed on Truth Social, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic chokepoint has been largely closed to most traffic by Iran since not long after the launch of Epic Fury on Feb. 28.
Trump’s comments may reflect a still unsigned Memorandum of Agreement with Iran that paves the way for reopening the Strait and is designed to create negotiating space to deal with the larger issues of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb,” the U.S. leader added. “The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions. All water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated (we have removed, through detonation, numerous such mines with our great underwater mine sweepers. Iran will complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left, which will not be many!).”
Last month, the head of U.S. Central Command stated that he was deploying uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) to the region for the counter-mine effort. UUVs are a critical part of modern minesweeping operations.
“The Strait of Hormuz is an international sea passage and an essential trade corridor that supports regional and global economic prosperity,” Admiral Brad Cooper said in an April 11 media release. “Additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.”
The Navy has various types of uncrewed undersea vehicles, remotely operated vehicles and an airborne mine neutralization system to perform mine sweeping operations. You can read more about these systems and how they work in our story about minesweepers here.
Knifefish Surface Mine Countermeasure (SMCM) Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV)
Trump ordered the blockade on April 13 to create economic pressure on Iran by limiting its ability to export oil or import needed weapons or other materiel.
“As of May 29, 115 commercial vessels have been redirected to ensure no commerce enters or leaves Iranian ports,” CENTCOM said in a post Friday morning about an hour before Trump made his announcement about the blockade.
Trump did not spell out the mechanics for ending the blockade and CENTCOM declined to say what Trump’s announcement means for the assets arrayed around the region to enforce it. The command referred us to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It is also unclear why Trump would lift the blockade at such a critical time, before any agreement is signed. According to various media reports, such a move would have been in conjunction with Iran easing its restrictions on Strait shipping. However, Iranian officials have insisted that has yet to happen. In essence, the U.S. lifting the blockade on Iran would do nothing for mariners trapped in the Persian Gulf unless Iran also lifts its threats to attack ships transiting the waterway without its permission.
According to Axios, the memorandum between Iran and the U.S. calls for the following:
- The U.S. naval blockade will also be lifted, but that will happen in proportion to the restoration of commercial shipping, a U.S. official said. The U.S. would also issue some sanctions waivers to allow Iran to sell oil freely.
- The MOU will include an Iranian commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon, the officials said. It will also state that the first issues to be negotiated during the 60-day window will be how to dispose of Iran’s highly enriched uranium and how to address Iranian enrichment.
The U.S. will commit to discuss sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds as part of the negotiations, the publication added.
- The MOU will also include a discussion of a mechanism to help Iran start receiving goods and humanitarian aid.
- The MOU would also state that the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon would end — an issue on which Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have had at least one tense discussion.
In addition to stating that he lifted the blockade, Trump also claimed in his Truth Social post that the U.S. and Iran reached an understanding on Tehran’s supply of highly enriched uranium.
“The enriched material, sometimes referred to as ‘Nuclear Dust,’ which is buried deep underground with virtually collapsed mountains, caused by our powerful B2 Bomber attack 11 months ago, sitting on top of it, will be unearthed by the United States (which, it is agreed, is the only Country, along with China, with the mechanical capability of doing so!), in close coordination and conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran, plus the International Atomic Energy Agency, and DESTROYED. No money will be exchanged, until further notice,” Trump asserted. “Other items, of far less importance, have been agreed to.”
Iranian officials have rejected Trump’s claims.
“No final understanding has been reached between Iran and the US so far,” according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-connectedTasnim News Agency.
“Trump’s post follows his usual pattern of one-sided, self-aggrandizing statements,” the outlet added. “His claims about lifting the naval blockade should be viewed with skepticism—and even if implemented, it would merely mark the cessation of one ceasefire violation, as the blockade should never have been imposed in the first place.”
“Trump’s nuclear claims are baseless, as no details on that issue have been discussed,” Tasnim posited. “His insistence on not releasing Iran’s blocked funds only deepens Tehran’s doubts about Washington’s seriousness.”
In his post, Trump said that he “will be meeting now, in the Situation Room, to make a final determination,” on the agreement with Iran.
This is a developing story.
UPDATE: 2:36 PM EDT –
Trump “left a two-hour meeting on a possible deal with Iran without making a decision,” The New York Times reported, citing a senior administration official.
The administration “believes it is close to an agreement but there are still certain matters being debated including the unfreezing of funds for the Iranians,” the newspaper added.
In the wake of Trump’s claims and media reports about negotiations with Iran, some positive economic news is emerging
“Stocks rose in afternoon trading on Wall Street Friday, adding to the all-time highs they set a day earlier,” CBS News reported. “The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Friday. The index is coming off six gains in a row and is headed for a ninth straight winning week, which would be the longest such streak since 2023.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average “rose 382 points, or 0.8%, as of 12:01 p.m. Eastern,” the outlet added. “The Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%. Every major index is on track for records and to close out May with solid gains.”
Of course, all that could change should talks break down and major hostilities resume.
UPDATE: 3:24 PM EDT –
The United Arab Emirates “carried out dozens of airstrikes against Iran beginning in the early days of the war and continuing through the day after the April cease-fire was announced,” The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. This represents a “deeper involvement than was previously known in the air campaign led by the U.S. and Israel,” the publication added.
The attacks were conducted in coordination with the U.S. and Israel, both of which provided intelligence, the people said. “They included targets on Qeshm and Abu Musa islands in the Strait of Hormuz; Bandar Abbas; the oil refinery on Lavan island in the Persian Gulf; and the Asaluyeh petrochemical complex” the Journal continued.
UPDATE: 3:47 PM EDT –
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says “Tehran secures its diplomatic advantages through missiles rather than talks,” according to the official Iranian Press TV news outlet.
UPDATE: 5:03 PM EDT –
NBC News is reporting that the U.S. military “has not confirmed that Iran placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz despite continued searches of the critical waterway.” The network cited two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the matter, adding to growing confusion around the war.
Around the start of the war in February, “U.S. intelligence officials believed that Iran placed mines on the southern side of the strait either before the conflict began or in its early days, the sources said,” NBC added. “They said there have also been numerous intelligence reports from the United States and its allies about Iran placing mines in various locations in the strait.”
The military searches using underwater drones, water robots and manned and unmanned aircraft have found some objects that could be mines, but none have been definitively identified, the outlet continued.
“If anything, the threat has been far less robust than we had feared,” the person familiar told NBC.
The lack of confirmed evidence “raises key questions about the war, which is set to enter its fourth month,” the network posited.
UPDATE: 6:20 PM EDT –
The White House replied to our query about when Trump will make a decision on the MOU with Iran.
“The Situation Room meeting has concluded and lasted approximately two hours,” a White House official told us. “President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his redlines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.”
UPDATE: 7:00 PM EDT –
U.S. Navy Central Command (NAVCENT) issued guidance Friday afternoon that the “military blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect restricting all traffic inbound and outbound from these ports. Vessels violating the blockade by conducting or participating in ship-to-ship transfers are also in violation of the blockade.”
Enforcement actions include “disabling and destructive fires upon vessels who do not demonstrate immediate compliance with blockading forces,” NAVCENT stated. “Vessels subject to blockade enforcement should continue compliance with direction from blockading forces. Failure to immediately comply may result in rapid escalation to disabling or destructive fire.”
In addition, aircraft and ships traversing the identified area “are advised to navigate with caution and avoid navigation within this zone, if possible,” the NAVCENT notice explained. “The blockade is being enforced strictly and rapidly. While the maritime warning zone is not intended to impede neutral or merchant shipping, vessels should make their intentions clear, particularly demonstrating that they are not intending to visit/depart from an Iranian port. If vessels do not comply with blockading forces immediately upon being contacted, they risk being fired upon. Vessels are free to navigate international waters.”
However, “the establishment of the warning zone is intended to provide notice that dangerous military operations are taking place from within these locations and the U.S. Navy cannot guarantee the safety of neutral or merchant shipping,” NAVCENT additionally cautioned. “Ships or aircraft traversing the area that threaten U.S. naval forces may be subject to proportional measures in self-defense. Ships and aircraft should maintain a listening watch on VHF channel 16 and be prepared to respond to any hails or queries from U.S. military forces.”
In addition to the potential use of self-defense measures, “aircraft and vessels may put themselves at risk from misidentification by forces hostile to the U.S. Recommend aircraft and ships keep clear of the designated area. Vessels continuing to transit the areas should maintain a standoff of 30 nautical miles from U.S. units to reduce risk of being mistaken as a threat.”
The Friday afternoon NAVCENT notification followed one issued around noon warning that military operations “will be conducted within the area north of the Musandam Peninsula in the Strait of Hormuz (SOH).”
The peninsula, part of the United Arab Emirates, juts out into the Strait about 50 miles from the southern coast of Iran and about 30 miles southeast of Iran’s Qeshm Island. It is the main chokepoint in the Strait.
“Iran continues to attempt illegal control of the Strait of Hormuz, to include dangerous and illegal mining that places ships and mariners at risk,” NAVCENT warned. “The United States is committed to freedom of navigation. As a result, the U.S. Navy Central Command is providing notice to mariners and airmen that dangerous military activities will be taking place.”
Contact the author: howard@twz.com
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