This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact The Epoch Times Reprints.
Oil tanker HELGA berthed at one of Iraq's southern offshore oil terminals near Basra as it prepares to load crude oil, becoming the second vessel to arrive since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, on April 24, 2026. Mohammed Aty/Reuters
WASHINGTON—Oil prices sharply declined shortly after the United States and Iran reached the preliminary ceasefire agreement, which authorized Tehran to resume crude oil sales.
On June 23, President Donald Trump highlighted increased oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz, announcing that 19 million barrels had passed through the strategic waterway the day before.
Emel Akan is a senior White House correspondent for The Epoch Times, where she covers the policies of the Trump administration. Previously, she reported on the Biden administration and the first term of President Trump. Before her journalism career, she worked in investment banking at JPMorgan. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University.