JD Vance says US allows more than dozen ships through to Iranian ports after lifting blockade under deal | World

US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said that the US Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports after lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war. He made the announcement at a White House press briefing, where he said more oil is now flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. He said more than 12.5 million barrels went through the shipping channel on Wednesday night.

We’re honouring our end of the agreement: JD Vance

“So we’re also honouring our end of the early part of the agreement on the military side,” Vance said, citing it as an immediate benefit of the deal as he downplayed criticism that the agreement tilts in favour of Iran.

And in an extraordinary rebuke, he warned US critics in Israel against “attacking the only powerful ally” it has left. He lashed out at members of the Israeli government, warning them that “Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time.”

Trump to travel to Switzerland for talks on Iran deal, says Vance

Vance also added that he plans to travel to Switzerland for talks on the Iran deal but he doesn’t know when that will happen. He had been expected to lead talks on implementing the agreement with Iran aimed at diluting its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and restarting oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Tuesday, two oil tankers left Iran and crossed the US military blockade without being stopped. A merchant shipping tracking website said the ships were carrying a combined total of 3.8 million barrels of Iranian crude oil.

Shipping has “normalised” at Iran’s southern ports

In the meantime, Iranian state media said that shipping has “normalised” at Iran’s southern ports but added that the Strait of Hormuz remains supervised and under the control of the Iranian military and transiting through the vital waterway still requires coordination.

Major shipowners have begun moving vessels through the Strait of Hormuz since the agreement was signed, according to maritime data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence – though they did not give data on how many ships have passed through the strait as of Thursday.

In a media briefing, Richard Meade, editor in chief of Lloyd’s List, said for the first time in 110 days, ships owned by major companies are transiting the strait after effectively being marooned there since February.

Tankers controlled by major ship owners Grimaldi Group, Cosco, Knutsen and NYK have passed through the strait. And two Iran-flagged, National Iranian Tanker Company-owned, sanctioned crude oil tankers have entered the strait, according to Lloyd’s List.

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