Vance Rejects Iran Claim That Strait of Hormuz Is Closed

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Saturday that Washington has found no indication that Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz, disputing claims made by Tehran’s military leadership that the critical waterway has been closed in response to ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

Iran’s joint military command announced the closure in a statement carried by state media, linking the move to Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon. The announcement came only days after the strategic shipping route had been reopened under the terms of a recent agreement between the United States and Iran.

Speaking on Saturday, Vance questioned reports published by The Wall Street Journal that cited Iranian security officials who reportedly ordered the closure because of what they viewed as a U.S. failure to halt the fighting in Lebanon. Ending the conflict was one of the conditions outlined in the memorandum of understanding signed earlier this week by President Donald Trump and Iran.

Vance said he remained doubtful about the reports and stated that U.S. officials had not observed evidence suggesting the waterway had been blocked. He added that conversations with special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner indicated that developments were progressing positively and that the Strait of Hormuz remained open.

The disagreement emerged as a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, reached on Friday, quickly unraveled. According to reports, both sides exchanged attacks on Saturday, while Israel maintained its position that troops would remain in Lebanon until Hezbollah is defeated.

The renewed tensions come ahead of technical-level talks scheduled for Sunday in Switzerland between U.S. and Iranian representatives. The discussions are expected to be mediated by Pakistan and Qatar. Vance told Fox News that the Trump administration intends to preserve the gains achieved through nearly eighteen months of engagement with Iran and would not allow them to be lost during ongoing negotiations.

In its statement, Iran’s joint military command described the closure as an initial response to what it called a violation of commitments by its adversaries. The military warned that additional measures could follow if hostilities continue and obligations under the agreement are not honored.

The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz represents another challenge to the fragile peace process between Washington and Tehran. On Friday, Trump declared that Iran was “FINISHED” and would receive “no money” from the agreement after both sides canceled a planned meeting in Switzerland. The deal established a 60-day window for negotiations on unresolved issues and required military operations by both countries and their allies to stop. It also obligated Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and free of tolls during that period.

The agreement has faced criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, who have raised concerns about sanctions relief, plans involving $300 billion for Iran’s reconstruction, and questions surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program.