[89999] U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announces the lifting of the naval blockade on Iranian ports

Lifting the naval blockade on Iran

On Thursday, June 18, 2026, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) issued an official statement announcing the lifting of the naval blockade imposed on Iran's ports. The statement said that "U.S. forces, in accordance with the President's order, have lifted the blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting the ports and coastal regions of Iran."

According to reports by Iran International, a media outlet affiliated with the Iranian opposition, CENTCOM clarified that its forces would no longer prevent the passage of vessels in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. However, it was emphasized that "major U.S. Navy warships will remain in the area" to ensure that all aspects of the signed agreement are fully enforced.

Internal Iranian media outlets close to the regime, including Fars News Agency and IRNA, covered the event extensively, sometimes using the term "Arabian Gulf" as it appeared in the original text of the CENTCOM statement, which drew attention from users on social networks. At the same time, regime-affiliated media, such as the Student News Agency (SNN), reported that 11 vessels – including 5 oil tankers – had already passed through the blockade zone even before the official announcement, with the situation managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.

The reports highlighted President Donald Trump as the one who ordered the move, a fact noted both by Al Arabiya Persian and by internal Iranian channels such as The Epoch Times Persian. The international and local community is now monitoring the economic implications of opening the shipping lanes, as optimism in Iran is accompanied by ongoing concern regarding the U.S. naval presence that remains in the region as a means of monitoring the agreement.