[Salon] Iran says it is closing Strait of Hormuz, testing fragile agreement with U.S.

[Chas Freeman <cwfresidence@gmail.com>]

Iran says it is closing Strait of Hormuz, testing fragile agreement with U.S.

As Iran cited Israel’s attacks in Lebanon as the reason it would close the strait again, Pakistan said more talks were planned for Sunday in Switzerland.

The Washington Post, 20 June 2026

June 20, 2026 at 11:09 a.m. 

Oil tankers, cargo carriers, commercial vessels and traditional Omani fishing boats remain anchored off Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman, on Friday. (Elke Scholiers/Getty Images)

By Maegan Vazquez

Iran’s military command said Saturday it is closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to state media, testing a fragile ceasefire agreement intended to lead to broader peace talks with the United States.

Stranded vessels had cautiously begun to transit the Strait of Hormuz following a preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Iran in which the countries agreed to lift all restrictions on movement through the strategic maritime corridor.

As Iran cited Israel’s attacks in Lebanon as the reason it would close the strait again, mediator Pakistan said that more talks were planned for Sunday in Switzerland.

Around the same time as Iran’s announcement, Vice President JD Vance told “Fox & Friends” on Saturday morning that “the straits are now open” and that it was possible that he would join talks in Switzerland “as soon as tomorrow.”

Iran negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were already on the ground talking with lower-level officials, he said.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed that Iran’s negotiating team will head to Switzerland to follow up on implementation of the agreement, according to Iranian state media.

Scores of diplomats, journalists and activists had gathered in Zurich on Friday for what was intended to be the kickoff of the next phase of negotiations toward a full-fledged peace accord.

A signing ceremony of the loosely defined memorandum of understanding was expected to feature Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, followed by negotiating team meetings.

Iran initially called off its delegation, citing Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, and Vance also called off his travel hours before he was due to depart.

By Friday afternoon in the Middle East, Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to renew a ceasefire, before the latest fighting appeared to pose another stumbling block.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Michael Birnbaum, Steve Hendrix, Lior Soroka, Imogen Piper and Suzy Haidamous contributed to this report.