Trump Threatens Strait of Hormuz Tolls if Iran Deal Not Reached in 60 Days

Iran announced on Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel's attacks in Lebanon as the reason. The nation issued a warning that ongoing negotiations with the United States regarding an interim agreement might not yield results if the conflict persists.

In response, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a threat via social media: he would impose U.S. tolls on the crucial waterway if a final agreement with Iran is not finalized within 60 days. Trump stated the collected funds would be for "services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East," noting that the current agreement allows for 60 days of toll-free travel.

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Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic continues to flow, and U.S. forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case.

The announcements marked a difficult start to technical-level talks between the U.S. and Iran, which key mediator Pakistan indicated would commence on Sunday, with Qatari mediators also participating. Iran's joint military command asserted that the strait was closed due to the U.S.'s "clear breach of its commitments" by failing to end the war, emphasizing that the interim deal aims to cease fighting on all fronts.

However, the U.S. Central Command contested Iran's announcement. Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, stated, "Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic continues to flow, and U.S. forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case." The military reported that 55 merchant ships transited the strait on Saturday, carrying over 17 million barrels of oil.

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services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East