Iran's Supreme Leader Endorses US Negotiations, Strait of Hormuz Reopens
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has publicly endorsed direct negotiations with the United States for the first time since hostilities began in February. The endorsement follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on 17 June by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, marking a significant diplomatic step between the two countries.
In a statement delivered via text message on state broadcaster IRIB, Khamenei confirmed he authorised the MoU despite personal objections, after President Pezeshkian assured him that Iranian rights and the 'Resistance Front' would be protected. He emphasised that future talks would not mean accepting 'the enemy's position.'
The US Navy lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports on Thursday, according to Vice President JD Vance, who reported that over 12 ships and 12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the highest volume since the conflict began. Tehran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority will now issue permits for commercial vessels.
President Trump stated that the US expects a total end of fighting across all fronts, including Israel's operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli military actions in southern Lebanon have continued, with at least 16 people killed in the Nabatieh district, according to Lebanon's National News Agency. The death toll in Lebanon since early March has reached at least 3,912.
A 60-day negotiation window has formally begun, covering Iran's nuclear programme, remaining US sanctions, and frozen Iranian assets. An envoy from the Trump administration told lawmakers that Iran will invite the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect nuclear sites, though this condition is not included in the published MoU.
The US Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg informed lawmakers that the Pentagon requires $80 billion to cover costs of the Iran war and other non-war-related bills, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. A full supplemental request is expected in the coming days.
