The Strait of Hormuz has been declared fully open for commercial shipping by President Donald Trump, while Iran’s chief negotiator, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, confirmed that Tehran agreed to establish a direct line of communication with Washington to avoid conflicts and incidents in the strategic waterway. The announcements on 22 June follow the signing of a US–Iran memorandum of understanding on 18 June, which paused hostilities and set a 60-day framework for a comprehensive peace deal. According to maritime monitoring sites, tanker traffic through the strait has increased markedly, with Trump stating that more oil transited the passage on 21 June than ever before.

Viewed from Washington, the reopening is a critical step to stabilise global energy markets after months of disruption. The US Treasury issued a 60-day general licence permitting the extraction, transport and sale of Iranian crude, including imports into the United States if necessary to complete a transaction. The licence does not authorise dealings with North Korea or Cuba. US officials said the move was contingent on Iran’s commitment to free transit and to readmitting inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency. In Tehran, however, a foreign ministry spokesman stated that cooperation with the agency would continue “under current procedures,” a reference to a parliamentary law that suspended snap inspections, leaving the scope of any new access unclear.

European capitals have signalled readiness to support the fragile arrangement. France and the United Kingdom expressed willingness to lead a maritime security mission once hostilities formally end. The European Union, which had voiced frustration over Iran’s earlier restrictions and itself faced sanctions linked to the blockade, views the communication line as a practical mechanism to reduce the risk of miscalculation. Meanwhile, mediators from Pakistan and Qatar reported that the first round of talks in Switzerland produced a roadmap for a definitive agreement within 60 days, covering both the nuclear file and a de-escalation of the war in Lebanon.

The strait had been effectively blocked since late February, when Iran laid mines—some without recorded coordinates—and imposed a tiered access system that required coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and levied fees on neutral and hostile-flagged vessels. Friendly nations such as Russia, China and India were granted passage, sometimes on favourable terms. The resulting choke point, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and up to 30 per cent of liquefied natural gas normally flows, contributed to sharp price rises and fears of a worldwide economic downturn. The temporary re-closure on 20 June, which Tehran said was a response to Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, underscored the fragility of the process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that troops will not withdraw from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, a position that, according to regional analysts, could complicate the next phase of negotiations. The 60-day window is now the focus of diplomatic efforts, with the US and Iran expected to convene working groups on nuclear safeguards and regional security.