US is ‘honouring’ Iran deal as oil flows through Strait of Hormuz – Vance
The US Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war.
Vice President JD Vance made the announcement on Thursday at a White House press briefing, where he said more oil is now flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Republican said more than 12.5 million barrels went through the shipping channel on Wednesday night.
“So we’re also honouring our end of the early part of the agreement on the military side,” Mr Vance said.
He cited it as an immediate benefit of the deal as he downplayed criticism that the agreement tilts in favour of Iran.
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.
Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier said leaders of both the US and Iran had signed the agreement and endorsed him as a mediator.
He said in a post on X that the deal “shall enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, the Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade”.
Mr Sharif said that Pakistan and co-mediator Qatar will still host an official signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland. His post came shortly after President Donald Trump said he had signed the agreement during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles.
The agreement to end the war calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium and would waive sanctions on the country, immediately allowing Iran to sell its oil freely in a major concession from Washington, according to language released by both countries on Wednesday.
The agreement would also open the Strait of Hormuz toll-free for two months and affirm a commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity in the face of Israel’s invasion against the Hezbollah militant group.
US officials dictated draft language to journalists after days of secrecy, speaking on condition of anonymity. Iranian state TV later released text that largely tracked what the US put out.
Though officials had said Mr Trump and vice president JD Vance had digitally signed the agreement on Sunday and that a ceremonial signing would be held Friday in Switzerland, a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share details about the agreement said Mr Trump signed the deal while at Versailles on Wednesday.
The US official said Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian also signed it on Wednesday.
“It’s signed,” Mr Trump said as he left Versailles, the historic palace where he dined with French President Emmanuel Macron following a trip to the G7 summit in France.
Text of the agreement has not been formally released. The draft read by US officials includes language that Iran agrees not to develop or procure nuclear weapons and requires that Iran’s highly-enriched uranium be downgraded on site as a minimum.
In return, the US will move to waive, but not eliminate, some wide-ranging sanctions against Iran.
The agreement also secures free passage of the strait for only 60 days, and it does not preclude fees in future, according to the US officials and the Iranian draft.
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