US President Donald Trump said Saturday that no maritime fees will be permitted in the Strait of Hormuz during the current 60-day ceasefire, warning that Washington may impose its own tolls thereafter, Anadolu reports.
After the 60 days, fees might be collected for “services rendered as the guardian angel” to Middle Eastern nations to ensure “reimbursement of costs” for the past and future, should a final deal not be completed, said Trump.
“There will be no tolls … unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America,” the US president wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
The ultimatum follows an announcement from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters that the waterway will be closed due to alleged US breaches of commitment and Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon.
However, US Central Command (CENTCOM) dismissed the claim, asserting that US forces remain “present and vigilant” to ensure all aspects of the agreement are obeyed, adding that maritime traffic remains “intact.”
“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins told Axios.
READ: Strait of Hormuz ‘closed to all vessels’ over Israeli, US violations: Iran’s IRGC
