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US Lifts Iran Naval Blockade. Khamenei Called the Deal 'Desperation.

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US Naval Blockade of Iran Ends Under a Deal Congress Did Not Approve

The US lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports on June 18, 2026, following a memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the regional war. US Central Command confirmed the move on X, stating it acted “in accordance with the President’s direction,” while noting some vessels would remain “in the general area.”

The war began on February 28, 2026, when US-Israeli strikes on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, took office in March and has not been seen in public since.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Approved the Deal Over His Own Objections

Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public response to the agreement on June 18, saying he approved it despite holding “a different opinion.” He granted permission only after President Masoud Pezeshkian and other Iranian officials pledged to safeguard “the rights of the Iranian nation and the resistance front” and accepted personal responsibility for the deal.

Khamenei’s characterization of Trump’s approach was pointed.

“Out of desperation, [Trump] used all kinds of use.”

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, June 18, 2026

He endorsed future direct talks with the US but was explicit that negotiations would “not mean accepting the enemy’s opinion.” He warned that Tehran would reject any additional US demands outright: “If the American side wants to be greedy, they will not accept it.”

The Deal’s Terms Are Not Public, and Congress Was Not Consulted

The durability of the agreement is already uncertain. As of June 18, it remained unclear whether Iranian officials would travel to Switzerland on Friday for implementation talks with the US. Trump, rather than responding directly to Khamenei’s statement, posted on Truth Social that he expects a ceasefire “on all fronts,” including between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Trump administration signed this memorandum of understanding without submitting it to the Senate for ratification, bypassing the constitutional treaty approval process. The War Powers Resolution requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing US forces and limits unauthorized military engagements. No formal congressional authorization was sought for either the February strikes that killed the previous Supreme Leader or the subsequent agreement that ended the blockade.

The full terms of the deal have not been publicly disclosed.

What You Can Do Now

  1. Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and demand a public briefing on the full terms of the Iran memorandum of understanding before implementation talks proceed. The Senate holds treaty ratification authority under Article II of the Constitution, and the administration has not submitted this agreement for review.

  2. Contact the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at (202) 224-4651 and ask them to schedule public hearings on the deal’s conditions. Chair Jeanne Shaheen’s office can receive written correspondence at 506 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510.

  3. Reach your House representative through house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative and ask them to demand the administration comply with the War Powers Resolution by filing a formal report with Congress on the scope and status of US military involvement in the Middle East conflict.

  4. Contact your senator if they sit on the Armed Services Committee (find members at armed-services.senate.gov) and request they use their oversight authority to compel the executive branch to release the classified terms of the Iran agreement to Congress before any further implementation steps.

Sources

used all kinds of use.”, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran. Al Jazeera, June 18, 2026]

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