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Trump, Pezeshkian Sign Deal to Reopen Hormuz Strait

6/18/2026

23 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump and President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding on June 15, 2026 to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
About 80 mines still block the central channel, so ships use narrower routes while the United Kingdom, France and the ship RFA Lyme Bay support demining.
Analysts project up to 118 tankers could exit the Persian Gulf within 15 days, though traffic may need weeks or months.

History

Historical Context

In the 1991 Gulf War the U.S. Mine Countermeasures Group, joined by British and French vessels, swept more than 1,000 Iraqi mines from the Persian Gulf to keep amphibious landings viable. Decades later, in June 2026, President Donald Trump and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum to de-mine the Strait of Hormuz, again relying on U.S., U.K. and French naval assets to restore an oil corridor.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump and President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding on June 15, 2026 to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
About 80 mines still block the central channel, so ships use narrower routes while the United Kingdom, France and the ship RFA Lyme Bay support demining.
Analysts project up to 118 tankers could exit the Persian Gulf within 15 days, though traffic may need weeks or months.

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