In comments to reporters in the White House on Monday, Trump provided new details on his suggestion that the U.S. will charge tolls for ships going through the strait, an about-face after previously saying that it wouldn’t. AP notes that Trump’s plan is a change in U.S. policy that, until now, said the strait should remain open to all without tolls—as it was before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. Any attempt by the U.S. or Iran to charge fees would violate global norms on freedom of navigation and raise tensions, likely causing further economic disruption far beyond the region, AP says further.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mocked Trump on the tolls shortly after he announced the plan. “POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service,” he said on X. “Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER.”
However, “20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”
The irony is that ships that follow US instructions to transit through the strait via the Omani corridor face a very high risk of being attacked even with US naval escort.