Iran Rejects Report Of Hormuz Closure, Says Shipping Continues Under Truce Memorandum
Iran Rejects Report Of Hormuz Closure, Says Shipping Continues Under Truce Memorandum Curated By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 20:55 IST Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman
Iran Rejects Report Of Hormuz Closure, Says Shipping Continues Under Truce Memorandum Curated By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 20:55 IST Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei called the claims “baseless” and said they were inaccurate. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei. (AFP file photo) Iran on Friday denied reports that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, saying commercial shipping through the key waterway is continuing under a ceasefire memorandum signed with the United States on June 18. According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei called the claims “baseless" and said they were inaccurate. Dismissing reports that the Strait had been closed, Baghaei said that following the signing of the MoU, Tehran had taken necessary measures to ensure safe passage. He added that shipping through the waterway was “currently operating normally". Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman says given that the signing of the Iran-US MoU was carried out digitally in the early morning of June 18, holding the aforementioned meeting in Switzerland proved not urgent, but we are planning to hold a meeting in the coming days.
pic.twitter.com/dkSbp5PQRM— PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) June 19, 2026 The clarification from the foreign ministry comes amid reports claiming that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had ordered the Strait of Hormuz to be closed again, and that it had accused the US of violating the memorandum of understanding between the two sides aimed at ending the war. The MoU, signed electronically this week by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, is intended to end the war that began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. What Clause 5 Of The MoU Say? Clause 5 of the memorandum states that Iran will use its best efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters. Under the agreement, ships travelling between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be allowed to pass without any charges for a period of 60 days from the signing of the MoU.
The clause also says that commercial shipping traffic will resume immediately, while Iran works to remove technical and military obstacles, including demining operations, with full implementation expected within 30 days. In addition, Tehran will hold talks with Oman and other Gulf states on the future administration and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz. Transit Request For Hormuz Earlier, Iran’s maritime authority said that all ships seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz must submit transit requests at least 48 hours in advance, despite the reopening under the US–Iran agreement. “To avoid delays at the entrance or exit of the Strait of Hormuz, it is essential that transit requests, complete with all the required information, are submitted at least 48 hours prior to arriving at the strait area," the Persian Gulf Strait Authority said on X. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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