What’s going on with US-Iran talks and the Strait of Hormuz?

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains tense following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran, as the countries’ delegations descend on Switzerland for follow-up discussions.

Commercial shipping through the key waterway was disrupted after the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, and its reopening has become one of the key points of the memorandum signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Washington promised to lift its own blockade of Iranian ports, while Tehran would gradually “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels.”

Trump touted the preliminary deal as an “immediate reopening,” announcing that “the oil is flowing” after the first tankers sailed through – before Tehran claimed to have shut down the waterway again.

What does Iran say?

Tehran accused Washington of failing to fulfill its commitments and force Israel to stop its “crimes” in Lebanon. The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters military command announced on Saturday that “the Strait of Hormuz is closed,” while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned vessels against approaching the waterway, saying their safety would be “jeopardized.”

What does the US say?

US Vice President J.D. Vance has denied that traffic through the strait had been interrupted, insisting that “we actually got 16 million barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz yesterday.” In an interview with Fox on Saturday, Vance called it “a record going back to even before the conflict started.”

US Central Command stated that “commercial ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz increased June 20,” while US forces continue to operate in the area. According to CENTCOM data, safe passage through the waterway “remained intact,” and at least 55 merchant vessels had passed through as of Saturday.

What is actually happening?

Dozens of vessels, including three Saudi oil supertankers and five sanctioned Iranian ships, have moved through the waterway in recent days, according to data analytics company Kpler, which noted that most were “following established Iranian route patterns.”

Some commercial vessels continued traversing the strait as of Saturday evening, according to the MarineTraffic monitoring website. The number of tankers sailing through the waterway peaked at 25 on Thursday, but reportedly fell to single digits on Friday.

Are US-Iran talks in jeopardy?

Washington and Tehran are expected to reach a final settlement on remaining disputes, including Iran’s nuclear program, within a 60-day negotiating period, but the first round of talks was postponed. Vance eventually departed for Switzerland on Saturday, with Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also expected to take part in the talks, which are now planned for Sunday.