US ends naval blockade of Iran after signing deal to halt Middle East war

The United States has ended its naval blockade of Iran after the two countries signed an agreement to halt the war in the Middle East.

US Central Command said on X that the blockade had been lifted "in accordance with the President's direction" and that some US vessels would stay in the general area.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he had approved the deal despite holding a "different view." He said he gave his consent after receiving assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian that the rights of the Iranian nation would be protected.

Khamenei said President Trump had "out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage" to reach the agreement. He added that future in-person talks between Tehran and Washington would not mean acceptance of the US position.

This is the first public response from Khamenei to the deal. He has not appeared in public since taking office in March after his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the 28 February US-Israeli strikes that began the regional war.

Trump did not reply directly to Khamenei but posted on Truth Social that he expects a ceasefire to take effect on all fronts, including between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. He also said Middle East countries must keep their commitment to allow the negotiations to proceed.

The agreement contains 14 core points. They include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a permanent ban on an Iranian nuclear weapon, and creation of a $300 billion fund for reconstruction and economic development in Iran. The United States is not required to contribute to the fund.

Both sides are bound to reach a final deal within a maximum of 60 days, a period that can be extended by mutual consent.

A signing ceremony had been planned for Switzerland on Friday, but Pakistan, which mediated the talks, told the BBC the event had been cancelled because the deal had already been signed remotely. US and Iranian officials are still expected to meet in Switzerland for further discussions.

A White House spokesperson said Thursday evening that Vice President JD Vance would not depart that night. Earlier, Vance told reporters the agreement had taken effect and that he would likely travel to Switzerland for technical talks. He said Iran was "not an easy country to get out of" and that planners were still determining the timing.

The spokesperson said the United States looked forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible.

Trump's decision has drawn criticism from some Republicans. Senator Bill Cassidy called the agreement the "worst foreign policy blunder in decades," saying Iran's nuclear ambitions had not been curbed and that the country had learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works.

Vance defended the deal, known as the Memorandum of Understanding. He said Iran would receive no money or sanctions relief unless it meets the obligations, which include destroying its stockpile of enriched uranium and showing it will not fund proxy groups.

Vance also criticized members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet who have attacked the agreement. He named National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and said they should "wake up and smell the reality." He added that Israel is a country of nine million people and cannot "kill your way out of solving every single national security problem."

Netanyahu stressed the importance of close ties with the United States, saying Washington had stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Israel during the war.

Strikes between Israel and Hezbollah have continued since the US-Iran agreement was announced, including attacks in Lebanon on Thursday that killed three people.