On June 21, senior Iranian officials arrived in Switzerland to participate in peace talks with the US, while US Vice President JD Vance also departed here to attend a meeting mediated by Pakistan, scheduled to begin.
Although the US and Iran have agreed to a 60-day ceasefire to conduct negotiations, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on June 20 the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the US military affirmed that commercial ships continue to operate normally on this waterway.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said 55 cargo ships passed through the strait on July 20, transporting more than 17 million barrels of oil to the global market, and affirmed that US forces will ensure maritime trade continues. President Donald Trump announced that he will not charge tolls through the Strait of Hormuz during and after the 60-day ceasefire, unless peace talks fail.
On social media, Mr. Trump mentioned the possibility that the US will charge "for services with protectionist roles for Middle Eastern countries" if the peace agreement is not completed.
Iran accused the US of not implementing the first clause in the 14-point temporary agreement, which requires a ceasefire "on all fronts", including Lebanon. Advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Mr. Mohammad Mokhber, affirmed on social network X that as long as the agreement remains on paper, energy flows in the Middle East will continue to be disrupted.
The ceasefire agreement in Lebanon remains fragile as Israeli forces and Iranian-backed Hezbollah armed groups continue fighting. According to the Lebanese Civil Defense Agency, 20 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on January 20, just hours after the ceasefire took effect.
Israel declared this action to respond to attacks from Hezbollah, while this group affirmed that it would not allow Israel to "freely operate" in Lebanon. Israel affirmed that it is not a party to the US-Iran agreement and will maintain forces in the Lebanese territories that it is occupying.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that 4,057 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including medical staff, women and children, but did not specify the number of soldiers killed. Israeli side said at least 32 soldiers and 4 civilians were killed in clashes with Hezbollah.
