Vice President JD Vance said Saturday there is no evidence that Iran has successfully closed the Strait of Hormuz, despite a declaration from one of the country’s top military commands that the critical waterway would be shut to vessel traffic.
Vance made the remarks during an appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
The vice president was asked about reports that Iranian forces were moving to block shipping through the strategic passage.
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Vance rejected the notion that the strait had been closed.
According to the vice president, commercial traffic continued moving through the waterway and oil shipments remained at historically high levels.
“One of the things the president has set us out to do as a high priority is to open the Strait,” Vance said.
“That’s now happened,” he added.
Vance pointed to shipping data that he said demonstrated the route remained operational.
“We actually got 16 million barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz yesterday,” Vance said.
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“That is a record going back to even before the conflict started.”
“So you’re seeing those ships move,” he added.
The comments came just hours after Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced that it intended to close the Strait of Hormuz.
The military command cited what it described as violations of a ceasefire agreement and accused both the United States and Israel of failing to honor commitments made under a recent agreement aimed at ending the conflict.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the command said the decision was a response to continued military activity involving Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.
The statement accused the United States of acting in bad faith and failing to implement provisions of the memorandum designed to end the war.
It also cited ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.
A significant portion of global oil exports passes through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to international shipping lanes.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump announced a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran that included provisions reopening the strait after months of disruption.
The closure of the route during the conflict contributed to rising global energy prices and increased concerns about supply shortages.
The latest dispute has raised new questions about the durability of the agreement.
Despite those concerns, Vance projected confidence that shipping traffic remained unaffected.
The vice president also revealed that diplomatic efforts to secure a broader peace agreement are continuing.
Vance confirmed that special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner are currently in Switzerland ahead of planned negotiations scheduled for Sunday.
The talks are aimed at reaching a more permanent settlement between the United States and Iran.
While diplomatic efforts continue, fighting elsewhere in the region has intensified.
Israeli strikes targeting southern Lebanon reportedly killed at least 16 people and wounded another 12, according to Lebanese Civil Defense officials.
The Israeli military confirmed conducting the strikes.
Israeli officials said the attacks were carried out after Hezbollah launched more than 50 projectiles toward Israeli Defense Forces personnel operating in southern Lebanon.
“In order to remove threats and in response to Hezbollah’s blatant violations, the IDF struck dozens of Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites and terrorists in southern Lebanon throughout the night,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
The renewed violence has added pressure to ongoing diplomatic negotiations.
The White House has not yet publicly commented on Iran’s declaration regarding the Strait of Hormuz, The Washington Examiner reported.
For now, the administration appears focused on emphasizing continued commercial activity through the waterway while pursuing negotiations aimed at preventing a broader regional escalation.
Whether Iran follows through on its threat remains unclear.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
