Iran-US War Latest: Strait of Hormuz to Take Weeks to Clear, Warns Tanker Firm

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Iran-US war latest: Strait of Hormuz will take ‘weeks’ to clear warns tanker firm despite Trump’s ‘partially open’ claim

A White House official said Trump’s Iran deal does not include Israel’s conditional withdrawal from Lebanon amid its conflict with Hezbollah

Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz could take weeks to resume, the world’s largest tanker operator has said, despite Donald Trump’s insistence the vital waterway is already “partially opened” to traffic.

Jotaro Tamura, CEO of Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines, told the FT that it was not enough for shipping companies to see a “simple agreement between the relevant companies” to resume shipping and assuage down global energy prices.

"Given the experiences in the last couple of months, I think it’s reasonable to assume that it may take at least a couple of weeks or if not a month," Tamura said, before Trump announced a preliminary arrangement with Iran.

Trump said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz was already ‘partially opened’ to trade, obstructed only by the remaining sea mines in the region, ahead of an anticipated full reopening on Friday.

The framework deal between the US and Iran was already under pressure on Monday as Israel suggested it would stay in Lebanon despite the reported agreement stipulating the conflict would be ended on all fronts.

Earlier, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu said he and Trump “don’t always see eye-to-eye” after the US president described his counterpart as a “very difficult guy” who should be “very thankful” to the US.

Asian shares are mostly higher and Japan's Nikkei tops 70,000

Asian shares mostly gained and Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 briefly topped 70,000 for the first time today before trimming early gains after the Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate to 1 per cent.

The quarter percentage point hike took the benchmark rate to its highest level in three decades.

By early afternoon, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.6 per cent at 69,713.05, while South Korea's Kospi moved further into record territory, gaining 2.1 per cent to 8,721.64.

The Shanghai Composite gained less than 0.1 per cent to 4,100.53.

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Asian shares are mostly higher and Japan's Nikkei tops 70,000 before BOJ rate hike

Asian shares are mostly higher and Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 briefly topped 70,000 for the first time before trimming early gains after the Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate to 1%

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 07:20

Belgian MP carries pre-revolution Iran flag at World Cup

Belgian lawmaker Darya Safai shared a picture of her carrying Iran’s pre-revolution Lion and Sun flag into a stadium in Los Angeles despite a ban imposed by Fifa.

"I proudly carried the real Iranian flag, the historic Lion and Sun, into the stadium in Los Angeles despite FIFA’s ban," she wrote on X.

"No ideological flag can take the place of our Lion and Sun."

https://x.com/SafaiDarya/status/2066734627012706623

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 07:10

Watch: Anti-regime protest held ahead of Iran’s first World Cup game

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 07:00

Indian sailor dies aboard tanker that was diverted to Oman by US military

An Indian crew member of a ship docked at an Omani port died from medical complications, reportedly after a delay in his evacuation.

The Forward Seamen’s Union of India claimed that Nishanth Uirthanathan, 35, from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, died aboard the tanker MT Celestial while it was docked at Duqm Port.

The union said Uirthanathan died at around 6pm local time on 11 June after “falling seriously ill” three days earlier.

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Indian sailor dies aboard tanker that was diverted to Oman by US military

Union says sailor died from medical complications after delay in evacuation

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 06:45

Lebanese return home to destruction after word of an initial US-Iran deal

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 06:30

Iran draw 2-2 with New Zealand in politically charged World Cup clash

Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in an exciting World Cup clash at Los Angeles Stadium, as protests against Tehran's government and a ⁠tentative agreement to end the US-Iran war formed a charged backdrop to the match.

New Zealand took an early lead when Elijah Just volleyed home from inside the box after being set up by Chris Wood.

The goal was celebrated by some fans critical of the Iranian government, many of whom carried Iran's pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag. Some also booed Iran's national anthem before kickoff.

But most of the ⁠crowd of more than 70,000 appeared firmly behind Team Melli, chanting "Ir-ran! ​Ir-ran!" ⁠and erupting when Ramin Rezaeian equalised shortly after the half-hour mark.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 06:15

Strait of Hormuz transit will take ‘weeks’ to resume

Shipowners ​will not resume transit through the Strait of Hormuz for ⁠weeks until they are confident that the US-Iran deal is "material", ⁠the chief ​executive ⁠of Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines told ⁠the Financial Times.

"What will have to come in ‌place is ‌not just a simple agreement between the relevant ⁠countries, but it has to be material and translated into the real situations in the Strait of Hormuz, ‌so that ​shipping lines can ‌make themselves comfortable ⁠to go through," ⁠Mitsui OSK's Jotaro ‌Tamura ​said

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 06:05

Editorial: America has lost its war with Iran

It was never likely that the Islamic Republic of Iran would gift Donald Trump a peace agreement, even a measly one, for his 80th birthday, something he could immediately proclaim after the “historic” cage fight on the south lawn of the White House. However, having falsely declared 39 times since he went to war with Iran in February that peace was at hand, this time might really be different.

If the Pakistani authorities brokering the deal, the Iranians and the Americans all say that the “memorandum of understanding” (MoU) will indeed be signed by the end of the week, then there is, at last, some cause for realistic optimism.

However, caution remains – because the indications are that the as-yet unpublished and (curiously) unleaked MoU will settle comparatively little. It will, in essence, be an undertaking to talk about some future, more durable agreement. If recent history is anything to go by, the obstacles to that will remain formidable. MoU or not, an unstable region has been rendered even more dangerous by the unforced war of choice launched by Israel and America. The world will be coping with its repercussions for months, if not years.

More here.

America has lost its war with Iran

Editorial: If the ceasefire holds, Donald Trump’s ill-starred foray into the Middle East will have left the Iranian regime stronger than it was before the conflict

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 05:56

Strait of Hormuz to be 'toll-free' under Iran deal

The US said that ships will move toll-free through the Strait of Hormuz under an Iran peace deal signed by president Donald Trump, and insisted Tehran would have to fulfill its commitments before getting any economic benefits.

They included a possible $300bn reconstruction fund for the war-battered country, but the release of funds will be "tied to performance," a senior Trump administration official said in a call with reporters.

Iran's foreign ministry said that the deal would allow it to charge maritime service fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, rather than imposing "tolls".

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 05:18

Trump's Iran deal greeted with scepticism on Capitol Hill

Republicans on Capitol Hill said they need more information about the agreement between the US and Iran announced by president Donald Trump, and some are expressing skepticism as they ask the White House for details.

The agreement announced on Sunday to end the war in Iran, set for a ceremonial signing on Friday in Geneva, is centred around reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US naval blockade in the region, along with financial incentives for Iran if it meets certain benchmarks.

But Senate Republicans and Democrats who returned to Washington said there were still many unanswered questions about the deal and they need thorough briefings before it is finalised.

“I just don't know enough about it," Senate majority leader John Thune told reporters in the Capitol. "Even the people who follow this stuff closely up here don't know that much about it.

"I think that my understanding of what it entails — and, again, not having seen anything — it would require, I think the issues are going to be compliance, and how are you going to enforce that," Thune said.

Thom Tillis of North Carolina asked: "If it's a secret deal then how can I take it seriously?"

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 June 2026 05:06