Live Updates: U.S.-Iran deal signing gets more ships moving in Strait of Hormuz, but big challenges remain

Major shipowners have begun moving vessels through the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Iran signed an agreement Wednesday, according to maritime data company Lloyd's List Intelligence.

In a media briefing, Richard Meade, editor in chief of Lloyd's List, said for the first time in 110 days ships owned by major companies are transiting the strait after effectively being marooned there since February.

The strait is a critical passageway for the world's oil and natural gas, transporting 20% of the total supply. Its closure has created a historic energy crisis.

They did not give data on how many ships have transited the waterway as of Thursday. Tankers controlled by major ship owners Grimaldi Group, Cosco, Knutsen and NYK have passed through the strait. And two Iran-flagged, National Iranian Tanker Company-owned, sanctioned crude oil tankers have entered the strait, according to Lloyd's List.

Phillip Belcher, marine director of Intertanko, a trade group for global independent tanker owners, said the main central route of the Strait of Hormuz is still closed and has an estimated 80 mines that need to be cleared. But ships have been passing through the smaller northern route, which goes through Iranian waters, and the southern route, which goes through Omani waters.

"Those two routes now seem to be fully open," Belcher said.

Lloyd's List estimates 550 merchant ships will need to prepare to exit the Gulf, including 160 tankers, 200 bulk carriers, 60 container ships and 10 vehicle carriers.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said the U.S. expects a "complete ceasefire," including in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, as negotiations with Iran continue following the signing of the memorandum of understanding.

"The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold," the president said.

Mr. Trump also noted the stock market, all of which were up 1% this afternoon, is "loving what is happening." 

"We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel," he wrote.

Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has released a statement saying he didn't like Iran-U.S. peace deal, but allowed the president of Iran to sign it, "safeguarding the rights of the Iranian nation."

Khamenei took a shot at President Trump, writing, it was "the American president who, out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage to bring this about."

"I, as a matter of principle, held a different view; however, out of the commitment that the esteemed president—as the head of the Supreme National Security Council—gave to me on his own behalf and on behalf of the other members regarding the safeguarding of the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front, and his explicit acceptance of that responsibility, I granted my permission," Khamenei said in the statement.

Khamenei's father, the previous supreme leader, was killed in a joint Israeli and U.S. strike at the beginning of the war. Khamenei himself is believed to have suffered serious injuries in the attack and has not been seen in public since the war began on Feb. 28.

"[Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian] also explicitly stated that if the American side seeks to make excessive demands, they will not submit to them," Khamenei wrote. "From this moment on, we—that is, you, the proud nation, and this humble servant—will await the realization of the aforementioned conditions."

The Trump administration has said if Iran does not uphold the conditions of the 14-point memorandum of understanding it will return to bombing the country.

The U.S.-imposed blockade imposed on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas has been lifted "in accordance with the president's direction," U.S. Central Command said.

"American forces are not impeding the transit of vessels to or from Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. All U.S. military blockade enforcement efforts have ceased," U.S. Central Command said in a post on X. 

Still, naval ships will stay in the area "to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect," the military said.

Vice President JD Vance also commented on President Trump's visibly growing irritation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Vance said Mr. Trump has been frustrated by multiple occasions where "we seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement, and all of a sudden there's a major explosion that goes off in Beirut." 

Vance emphasized the deal with Iran is about "regional peace" and he expects Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terror group that operates out of Lebanon, to "honor their end of the deal." He also called on the Lebanese government to do more to rein in Hezbollah. 

When asked what message he would give to Israeli officials who have criticized Mr. Trump and the memorandum of understanding with Iran, Vance was firm. 

"If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world," Vance said. 

During his briefing Thursday, Vice President JD Vance responded to a question from CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang on how President Trump's stance on Tehran having ballistic missiles has shifted. 

Mr. Trump said Wednesday he believed Iran should have ballistic missiles, reversing an earlier stance. 

"All the president said yesterday is that, of course, countries don't give up the right of self-defense," Vance said. "The Iranians don't give up the right of self-defense in their country, but we do expect that as part of the final deal they are not going to be able to build the kind of missiles that can broadly threaten the entire world, and that's what the president of the United States said yesterday." 

Vance said a number of Iran's ballistic missiles and launchers have already been destroyed, a claim Mr. Trump has also made throughout the war. 

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that 12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz last night, marking a high since the start of the war. Vance said that movement shows the deal between the U.S. and Iran is working. 

U.S. Central Command has also allowed over a dozen ships to pass through its naval blockade, Vance said. 

The Strait of Hormuz will also be discussed during the 60-day negotiation window established by the memorandum of understanding, Vance said. Iran and the Gulf Coast Coalition will figure out a proper security framework for the waterway, but said if Iran tries to propose tolls, "there's not going to be a final deal."

Vance also stressed the "main thing" is to end Tehran's nuclear weapons program and remove enriched uranium from Iran. Technical talks between Iran and the U.S. about Tehran's nuclear program are expected to take place during the negotiation window. Vance said the deal will lead "to the destruction of that stockpile of enriched material."  

The 60-day window began Thursday, Vance said, because of how late the MOU was signed Wednesday. The vice president said he "suspects" talks will happen in Switzerland this weekend, but may shift depending on when the Iranians can get there. 

Vice President JD Vance said even under the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran yesterday, Tehran will have to "comply fully and change their behavior" to receive economic benefits. 

"The United States isn't giving up a cent of money to Iran, and even the economic benefits, the sanctions relief, and so forth, that comes along with this bargain only happens if the Iranians perform," Vance said.

He described the situation as a win-win, saying if Iran does not alter its behavior, the country's military and nuclear program are still destroyed, leaving it less of a threat, while changes could lead to a "transformational relationship" with the rest of the Middle East. 

"What is the benefit that the Iranians get that they didn't have before? And the answer is nothing. They don't get anything unless they change their behavior," Vance added. Signs of change would include allowing "real" inspections of their nuclear infrastructure, Iran said. President Trump has taken credit for destroying Iran's nuclear program. Vance said Thursday that Tehran would need billions to rebuild it. 

"They need money to do anything … but in order for them to get any integration into the world economy, they're going to have to show us and verify for us that they are changing their behavior," Vance said. 

Leaders including Sen. Ted Cruz have criticized the MOU, accusing it of giving money to Iran via sanctions relief. Vance said Thursday that officials "plan to brief Congress very soon," but did not set a date or say who would be part of the briefings. Vance added he didn't believe lifting sanctions on Iran would require congressional approval. 

Iranian-backed Hezbollah said Thursday that it had defeated a four-day offensive by Israeli ground forces attempting to push deeper into the south of Lebanon.

In a statement, Hezbollah said it had attacked Israeli forces and tanks with drones, rockets and artillery and prevented their advance toward Kfar Tebnit, near Nabatieh.

"As a result, the enemy was forced to retreat and deploy helicopters under the cover of smoke screens and artillery fire during the night to evacuate its losses," the group said.

The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday that troops would remain in a "security zone" that extends roughly six miles into Lebanon from the two countries' shared border. Tehran warned this week that any Israeli forces remaining in Lebanon would be considered a violation of the U.S.-Iran agreement signed on Wednesday.

CBS/AFP

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has postponed a visit to Switzerland for the formal signing of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire extension because it has been signed remotely, his spokesman told the AFP news agency Thursday.

"The proposed visit has been postponed as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has already been electronically signed, has entered into force, and is now under implementation," spokesman Mosharraf Zaidi said, adding Pakistan would support the next phase of several "technical-level" tracks.

Some Tehran residents have told CBS News they're happy to see a reprieve in the war with the U.S. and are now hoping for a drop in sky-high inflation that has made life difficult for many Iranians for months – even years.

Speaking to CBS News, 64-year-old Hamidreza Fatolahi said he was "really glad" Iran "decided to stop this war" and pursue diplomacy. The retired contractor said the economic situation was hard for all Iranians, and he hoped the negotiations would result in an influx of money to Iran, and a peaceful coexistence with other countries in the region.

A 21-year-old woman who gave her name only as Mahzad told CBS News she was also looking for economic relief. She said she hoped the government's priority would be lowering consumer prices.

"What people my age want is that inflation comes down, we want sanctions to get lifted," she told CBS News, "so that people can live their lives."

Her father agreed and added: "There was nothing good out of war." 

He said it brought nothing "other than destruction, losses of loved ones and homes."

Nearly 4,000 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli operations against Iranian-backed Hezbollah, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health.

Since March 2, when Israel launched major attacks in Lebanon in response to Hezbollah's rocket and drone fire at Israel in retaliation for the joint U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, at least 3,912 people have been killed and 11,873 others wounded, the ministry said Thursday.

The memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday by the U.S. and Iranian presidents calls for an immediate halt to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and Iran has said Israeli forces remaining in the neighboring nation would be considered a violation of the deal.

Israel's military said Thursday, however, that forces would remain in Lebanon and continue operating against Hezbollah.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Thursday that the U.S. military stood ready to reimpose its naval blockade of Iran's ports and vessels if the Iranian regime doesn't adhere to the agreement signed Wednesday by President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. 

"If Iran doesn't comply, then we're more than able to reimpose an ironclad blockade," Hegseth told reporters during a visit to the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

"If underneath the timeline of these talks Iran does not do what it says it's going to do, just give up nuclear weapons, give up nuclear ambitions, give away their nuclear material, close nuclear facilities, then the War Department is here and prepared to restart if we need to," Hegseth said.

President Trump lashed out at critics of his agreement with Iran on Thursday, calling those who accused him of not being "tough" on Iran "fools," ahead of negotiations in Switzerland aimed at reaching a broader deal to end the war.

"These fools, who think I haven't been tough enough on Iran, when the Stock Market Just Hit A RECORD HIGH, and Oil prices are 'tumbling' down, are either jealous, bad people, or stupid," Mr. Trump posted on social media hours after signing the deal.

Oil prices have tumbled since Mr. Trump first announced an agreement with Iran. The memorandum signed Wednesday calls for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but leaves negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program and the lifting of Western sanctions for the next, 60-day phase of talks.

Iran's foreign minister said the next phase of the U.S.-Iran deal will be more difficult than reaching the memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday.

"Our work is now more difficult than before, because implementing international agreements is always far more difficult than drafting them," Esmail Baqaei said in a statement published by Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.

The minister also said ships were already moving in and out of Iranian ports "without any problems," as a result of the U.S. lifting its naval blockade. 

Switzerland's government confirmed Thursday that "initial negotiations" under the U.S.-Iran agreement were set to begin at a Swiss lakeside resort on Friday.

"Currently, the plan remains for the United States and Iran, along with the mediators Pakistan and Qatar and other involved countries, to meet tomorrow at the Burgenstock for initial negotiations on the implementation of the agreement," the Swiss foreign ministry said in a statement.

The announcement lifted a veil of uncertainty that had hung over the meeting at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex near Lucerne in central Switzerland, initially announced on Tuesday.

At the time, it had been billed as a signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding, but the signing was unexpectedly moved forward, with President Trump laying down his signature Wednesday at a candlelit dinner outside Paris, as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed remotely.

The Israeli military said Thursday that forces deployed in southern Lebanon would remain there, and "continue to remove threats" and strengthen defenses in the area.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said troops would stay in the "security zone" - an area spanning Lebanon's southern border with Israel and extending about six miles into the country.

"IDF soldiers are stationed in the designated area of operation in southern Lebanon, and will continue to remove threats and strengthen the defense of Israel's northern residents," Israel's military said.

Iran's foreign minister said earlier this week that if Israeli forces remain in Lebanon, it would be considered a violation of the U.S.-Iran deal, which calls explicitly for "the immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." 

At least 10 commercial vessels were tracked transiting the Strait of Hormuz Thursday morning, and six more appear to be heading in the same direction to exit the Persian Gulf.

It's a noticeable increase in traffic, but still far below the pre-war average of around 135 ships per day moving through the vital waterway, which is the only route in and out of the Gulf.

Among the ships is a French-flagged liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier, Mraikh, which is operated by QatarEnergy. A ship carrying vehicles owned by Italian logistics company Grimaldi Group was also making the crossing, months after dropping off its cargo at Persian Gulf ports. Both ships were among the hundreds stuck in the Persian Gulf since the start of the war, according to data from MarineTraffic.com.

Cargo ships and oil tankers owned by Hong Kong and Chinese companies were still broadcasting that they had Chinese crew on board, a tactic adopted by mariners at the start of the conflict when Iran said it would target ships linked to the U.S. and Israel.

Several sanctioned Iranian tankers that crossed the U.S. naval blockade line earlier in the week were still en route to Iranian ports Wednesday morning.

Israel is holding negotiations with the U.S. as it seeks to keep troops deployed in southern Lebanon, according to two Israeli officials quoted by the Reuters news agency.

The deal struck between the U.S. and Iran calls for the "permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." 

While Israel is not explicitly named in the agreement, the continued presence of its troops in southern Lebanon is considered by Iran to be a violation of this clause.

A senior Israeli official told Reuters on Thursday that Israel was "conducting stubborn negotiations" with the U.S. over the deployment of its forces in southern Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not respond when contacted by CBS News for comment on the report.

The Israeli military announced on Thursday that one of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon the day before in an incident that also wounded seven soldiers.

Master Sgt. Alexander Filin, 29, "fell in combat," the military said in a brief statement, adding that an officer, a reserve officer and a reserve soldier were moderately wounded.

A combat non-commissioned officer, two reserve soldiers and a female reserve soldier were lightly wounded, the military added.

The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday meant to end the Middle East war, with fighting halted on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

Lebanon was drawn into the conflict when Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2 in support of Iran.

Lebanon said earlier that Israel's massive campaign of airstrikes and ground invasion has so far killed more than 3,800 people.

Israel's side saw 31 soldiers and one civilian contractor killed since March 2.

The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding will take "immediate effect" now that the presidents of both countries have signed it, said Pakistani Prime Minister Shebhaz Sharif, who helped mediate talks between the two sides.

Sharif also wrote on X that "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."

"The signing of this agreement at the highest level of the respective governments demonstrates the commitment of both sides to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict," he said.

President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, a U.S. official told CBS News. Mr. Trump later told reporters that he signed the deal in Versailles while taking part in a reception hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron after attending the G7 summit. 

In Iran's system of government, the most powerful official is not the president, but Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.