On June 18 (US time), the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the US military had officially lifted the maritime blockade against Iran.
According to the announcement, US forces no longer prevent the movement of ships entering and leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas.
Today, US forces lifted the embargo on all maritime activities entering and leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas under the direction of the US President," CENTCOM said.
This agency emphasized that the US military currently does not restrict the movement of ships to or from Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and Oman Gulf.
The US military's entire maritime blockade operation has ended," the announcement stated.
This move is seen as one of Washington's first concrete steps to implement the commitments in the memorandum of understanding just reached between the US and Iran, which aims to end military tensions and restore trade activities in the region.
In the past time, maritime routes near Iran, especially the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, have been significantly affected by the conflict between the two sides. Security concerns have caused many shipping lines and energy businesses to closely monitor the situation, as this is one of the most important oil transport routes in the world.
The US lifting of the blockade is expected to help Iran's maritime transport and oil exports gradually recover. However, observers believe that the long-term outlook still depends on the level of compliance with commitments of both sides in the coming time.
Despite ending the blockade measures, CENTCOM said US warships will still maintain their presence in the area to monitor the implementation of the agreements reached.
According to the US side, the mission of the navy in the region is to monitor the compliance with the terms of the agreement and ensure that commitments continue to be fully implemented.
US naval ships will continue to be present in the area to ensure that all contents of the agreement are complied with and maintained in force," CENTCOM said.
The announcement was made in the context of the US and Iran preparing for further technical negotiations to implement the contents of the memorandum of understanding, including maritime transport, trade and mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the agreement.
US officials have not yet given a specific timeline on how long the navy will maintain its presence in the area. However, Washington affirmed that it will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that the commitments made between the two sides are fully and effectively implemented.
