US-Iran deal: Tehran to maintain Strait of Hormuz fees as G7, Trump allies demand clarity

Iran has declared it will continue to impose fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a significant alteration to a ceasefire agreement with the United States. This move directly challenges earlier assurances from President Donald Trump that the vital shipping lane would be permanently toll-free. The conflicting details emerging from Washington and Tehran have sparked alarm among G7 leaders and drawn sharp criticism from Trump's conservative allies.

According to Iran's Fars news agency, Tehran introduced a clause regarding "maritime services" just before the framework agreement was announced. This is interpreted as the U.S. accepting the payment of these fees. The amended understanding reportedly guarantees free passage for 60 days, after which ships will be charged for security, navigation, environmental, and insurance services. The document also explicitly recognizes Iranian-Omani sovereignty over the strait.

While Trump had stated the route would be free, Vice President JD Vance later clarified that the absence of fees was merely a "long-term expectation" to be determined in technical negotiations. The agreement, slated for official signing, also includes an immediate cessation of bilateral military operations, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the gradual lifting of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports. However, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vehemently condemned the deal, calling it "a bad deal for the entire free world" and vowing that Israel would continue its campaign to block Tehran's nuclear program.

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The joint US-Israel campaign has achieved many successes in weakening Iran, and those achievements were not in vain.