President Donald Trump has announced the United States is reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports and will impose a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade is scheduled to take effect from 16:00 Eastern Time (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday, with US Central Command (Centcom) stating its forces will resume blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on 14 July.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, President Trump asserted that the measure would prevent "Iran's ships or customers" from using the crucial oil shipping route, while ensuring "all other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait." He declared, "The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as 'THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,' but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World." He added that "the process and formation will begin immediately" and affirmed, "We are taking over the strait."
Responding to Trump's announcement later on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X, "POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service." However, he contested the proposed fee, adding, "20% is of course too much. We will be fair." Araghchi reiterated Iran's historical role, stating, "Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER."
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN agency regulating global shipping, voiced strong opposition to the new charges. A spokesperson quoted by Reuters news agency stated, "IMO stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation," emphasizing that "There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait."
The announcement comes amidst escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, which recently saw an exchange of strikes in the region. The US reported carrying out strikes against military targets in Iran, targeting air defence systems, coastal radars, and missile and drone sites. Iran claimed it retaliated by striking US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain, and radars in Oman.
Before Trump's declaration, Iran's top military headquarters had warned against US interference in the strait's management. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya, stated that "repeated adventurism and malicious actions" by the US in the strait had "seriously endangered regional security, international trade and the passage of oil tankers and commercial vessels." He warned that any cooperation with the US would be considered an act of "war" against Iran's sovereignty, and if the conflict spread, "the flames of war will engulf all the countries of the region."
This is not the first time the US has imposed such measures. The US first implemented a naval blockade of all Iranian ports in April to pressure Tehran, eventually lifting it in June as part of a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict. However, disputes over the strait persisted, leading Trump to notify Congress last Friday, 7 July, of a resumption of military action in Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime choke point, through which approximately 25% of the world's oil and 20% of global liquefied natural gas previously passed. At its narrowest, the strait and its shipping lanes lie entirely within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, with United Nations rules allowing countries to control territorial seas up to 12 nautical miles from their coastline.
Iran had effectively shut down the strait after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on 28 February. Tehran responded by firing missiles and drones at Israel and US military bases in several Gulf countries. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) also fired on and seized commercial ships attempting to transit the strait without permission, causing maritime traffic to drop dramatically and triggering a rise in oil prices.
The new announcement is expected to face significant pushback. Many US allies are likely to object to reimbursing the US and paying the 20% cargo fee. Domestically, the move could complicate matters for President Trump, with lawmakers questioning the gains from previous ceasefires and Americans concerned about rising oil prices, despite past promises to the contrary. Some analysts suggest the announcement could also be a tactic to restart negotiations and encourage greater international involvement.
