Iran to ‘instantly’ reopen Hormuz

The signing of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding to end the Middle East war means Tehran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz “instantly” and the American blockade of Iranian ports will end “immediately”, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday.

The memorandum “shall enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade”, Sharif wrote on X.

He also confirmed that Pakistan, with Qatari support, would host a ceremony in Switzerland on Friday to “commemorate this landmark event and commence with the technical level talks”.

I am honoured to announce that the historic ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ has been electronically signed today between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Memorandum has been signed by honourable Presidents of both the countries and also…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 18, 2026

GN