"The blockade is ongoing and is expected to remain in place until the signing [of the memorandum of understanding] on Friday," a U.S. source familiar with operations told TWZ on Monday morning.
U.S. naval blockade and CENTCOM enforcement
Despite a preliminary peace arrangement between the United States and Iran, the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continues to be enforced, the anonymous source said. The blockade went into effect on April 13; U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has publicly reported that, as of June 12, it had disabled nine vessels attempting to run the blockade and redirected 139 compliant commercial ships. CENTCOM described its posture as a strict enforcement of the blockade but a U.S. official declined to tell TWZ whether that enforcement would include firing on or turning back blockade runners, as it has done in previous incidents.
President Trump's public statements and authorizations
President Trump has been publicly optimistic about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Over the weekend and during a press conference in France, he said the Strait was "partially opened," adding that many ships were already moving "along the Southern 'Highway,'" and that by Friday the waterway would be "completely" open. On Truth Social the president posted that he was "authorizing the immediate removal" of the blockade and that the Strait would be reopened "toll free." Separately, in an interview with the New York Times cited by TWZ, Trump said the agreement would make the Strait "permanently toll-free," and warned he would restart military attacks on Tehran or assume a guardian role in the Middle East if Iran failed to reach a final nuclear accord.
Iranian statements: immediate lift and continued fees for services
Iran’s official channels offered a different — and in some respects sharper — public line. The Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council told IRNA that under the agreements reached, "the war and military operations on all fronts... will come to an immediate and permanent end beginning tonight," and that "the naval blockade against Iran will be lifted immediately and completely." At the same time, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that Iran and Oman would be responsible for managing passage through the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran would collect fees "in return for navigation services, environmental protection, insurances and other maritime services," while asserting Iran was "not seeking to impose tolls."
Shipping companies, the IMO, and Ambrey assess operational risk
Commercial carriers and maritime authorities told TWZ they are not yet changing operations. Maersk said the agreement is a welcome development but that publicly available details remain limited and "at this stage, there are no changes to our operations in the region." Hapag-Lloyd said its risk assessment remains unchanged and that "the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for Hapag-Lloyd transits until further notice." The U.N. International Maritime Organization said it is awaiting the agreement's details, working with Oman, Iran and other coastal states on safe routes and evacuation plans, and assessing feasibility while noting hazards such as mines and congestion.
Maritime-security firm Ambrey, through Managing Director of Risk and Intelligence Joshua Hutchinson, warned implementation will take time. Hutchinson said meaningful implementation "across multiple governments" is required, pointed out that "over 1,000 vessels remain in the Persian Gulf," and highlighted the mine threat; he estimated that clearing trapped vessels and associated coordination "will take several months." He also noted reports that the Iranian Maritime Authority may retain control of the Strait via a clearance system, a detail he said will concern ship operators and owners.
Israel's actions and the fragility of the ceasefire
The preliminary memorandum of understanding emerged amid continuing regional military actions. Israeli officials stated they will not withdraw from southern Lebanon and will continue to strike Hezbollah targets they deem necessary. TWZ reported that an Israeli airstrike on a Hezbollah site in Beirut on Sunday almost derailed the MOU announcement and that an Iranian missile attack on Israel was scrubbed at the last moment. TWZ also quoted domestic political pressures in the United States — noting the conflict has created global economic disruption and that American voters go to the polls in November, with "Trump’s Republican party struggling to maintain control" — as one factor weighing on political calculations in Washington.
The arrangement announced over the weekend is a preliminary one: officials quoted by TWZ said the memorandum of understanding remains unsigned and its text unreleased, and that the parties have given themselves 60 days to reach technical agreement on nuclear issues. For now, the naval blockade persists, mines remain a stated hazard, and major commercial operators and the IMO are keeping their plans conservative as the region waits for the Friday signing and the detailed implementing steps that must follow.
