The Strait of Hormuz’s future is unsettled even as more ships venture through
Ship traffic has picked up in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the US signed an interim deal to end a war that constricted global oil supplies and fueled inflation, but questions surrounding control of the vital waterway and whether vessels will be charged tolls to cross it could interfere with negotiations to forge a lasting peace.
Tehran and Washington clashed over the Strait of Hormuz again this past weekend. Citing Israel’s latest attacks on Lebanon, Iran declared that it reclosed the strait.
The US was quick to contest that. Maritime tracking data showed that dozens of ships passed through on Saturday and Sunday, though far fewer than the daily average before the war.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 06:55
Iran central bank governor says no obligation to by American produce
Iran’s central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati has responded to Donald Trump’s claims that the released Iranian funds will be used to buy US produce.
Hemmati said Iran has “no obligation to buy” agricultural products from the US.
He told the Tasnim news agency that the agreement says the first $6bn can be used to buy “basic goods and medicine”.
However, he added that “if the price and quality of American inputs are more suitable compared to other countries, we have no obstacle to purchasing from that country.”
He said the $6bn could be used to purchase other non-sanctioned goods.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 06:45
Rubio heads to the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain
US secretary of state Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain this week as the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to end the war with Iran, while Gulf countries remain uneasy about a proposed deal.
The state department announced yesterday that Rubio would visit the three countries for bilateral meetings with leaders to discuss the memorandum of understanding reached last week between the US and Iran.
Rubio will discuss “regional priorities,” “efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region,” the department said in a statement.
While in Bahrain, Rubio will also meet with Gulf Cooperation Council officials “to discuss shared priorities”.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 06:30
Talks between Iran and US conclude in Switzerland – report
The technical talks between Iran and the US in Switzerland have concluded, according to Iran’s state media.
Both nations will set up negotiating groups on nuclear power and sanctions, it said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 06:15
Turkish president offers support for US-Iran agreement
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and the US during a telephone call with his Iranian counterpart and pledged Turkey’s continued support for the process to conclude peacefully.
A statement from the Turkish president’s office said that during his conversation with Masoud Pezeshkian, Erdogan also urged vigilance “against those who want to sabotage the negotiations”, in an apparent reference to Israel.
Turkish officials have constantly accused Israel of wanting to derail the negotiations.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 06:00
Oman reaffirms commitment to ‘toll-free’ passage through Hormuz
Omani foreign minister Badr Albusaidi said discussions with Iranian officials in Muscat focused on ensuring “toll-free safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz.
Albusaidi in a post on X said the discussions with Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi focused on the recent Iran-US memorandum of understanding, “especially the Strait of Hormuz paragraph”.
“We affirmed the commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage,” Albusaidi said.
US president Donald Trump had briefly warned he would blow up Oman if it failed to “behave”.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 05:52
Pentagon seeks $80bn from Congress for Iran war
The Pentagon has told senators it needs roughly $80bn, mostly to cover the cost of the US war against Iran, adding to what is already a sizable military spending boost being sought by president Donald Trump.
The White House Office of Management and Budget has yet to make a formal request to Congress. But defence secretary Pete Hegseth has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill.
A top deputy defence secretary told senators about the Iran funding request last week, according to two people familiar with the situation but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
The push for billions of dollars in Iran war funding comes at a fraught political moment. Lawmakers are skeptical of the deal Trump struck with Iran to bring an end to the war, and wary of next steps.
The White House has requested a remarkable $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon — a nearly 50 per cent increase over the current fiscal year’s funding levels.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 05:40
Oil prices fall below $78 a barrel
Oil prices inched down this morning, extending losses from the previous session, as investors looked for clearer signs of progress in restoring crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz following US-Iran peace talks.
Brent crude futures fell 20 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $77.70 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate declined to $73.74 a barrel, down 12 cents, or 0.2 per cent.
Prices fell more than 3 per cent yesterday after the US granted Iran a 60-day sanctions waiver following initial peace talks, and as officials reported a lull in hostilities in Lebanon under the broader agreement.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 05:20
Iran’s lead negotiator insists Strait of Hormuz will be managed by Iran
The lead negotiator of the Iranian delegation, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, insisted that the Strait of Hormuz would be managed by Iran and would follow international laws.
Qalibaf, who is also the speaker of the parliament, spoke with Iran’s state media on a plane on his way back from Switzerland.
“Hopefully we can activate the strait again, in terms of passage, and bring prosperity back to the regional and global economy” he said.
Qalibaf confirmed that the issue of releasing the frozen assets, as well as the sale of Iranian oil were discussed in the talks with the US.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 04:40
Iran disputes Vance’s nuclear inspection claims
Iran has reportedly denied a claim by US vice president JD Vance that Tehran would allow nuclear inspectors back into the country following initial talks in Switzerland.
Vance said discussions with the International Atomic Energy Agency could be happening “as soon as today”.
However, Iran’s foreign ministry said Tehran had made “no new commitments” on nuclear inspections.
Since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in 2025, inspectors have visited the Islamic Republic.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2026 04:20