Trump Reimposes Naval Blockade on Iran and Charges 20% Transit Fee at Strait of Hormuz

In recent days, the United States and Iran have exchanged military strikes in the Persian Gulf, yet behind the scenes efforts continue to revive a memorandum of understanding reached about a month ago. On Monday, President Donald Trump revealed in a Fox News interview that a lengthy 11-hour meeting took place the previous day, after which the Iranian side requested "some changes." Trump described the negotiations as unproductive, stating, "We agreed on everything, then they left the room and called back. They always make changes and are bad at negotiating. They got nothing from me." He also accused Iran of repeatedly violating agreements, saying, "We had 10 agreements with these people already."

About an hour later, Trump announced on the social media platform Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open regardless of Iran's stance. He declared the reinstatement of a "Iranian blockade" targeting only Iranian ships and clients, while other nations would have free and fair access. The U.S. will now act as the "Guardian of Hormuz" and charge a 20% fee on all cargo passing through the strait to cover security and safety costs. Trump emphasized that the U.S. has controlled the strait for 50 years and now seeks compensation for the risks and expenses involved.

Meanwhile, Iran's unified armed forces command, Hatam al-Anbiya, warned that continued attacks would ignite regional war. They threatened to treat any unauthorized commercial or oil tanker passage outside Iranian-approved routes as serious violations. Iran also cautioned regional states against cooperating with the U.S., labeling such support as acts of war against Iranian sovereignty.

Following a series of U.S. strikes targeting Iranian military sites early Monday, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on bases in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. Iran claimed to have destroyed U.S. HIMARS missile launchers and radar systems. These escalations caused Brent crude oil prices to surge to around $79 per barrel, a 4% increase, while Asian stock markets, including South Korea's, fell sharply.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the fourth wave of strikes in under a week, targeting dozens of Iranian air defense systems, radars, missile and drone sites, and small boats to punish Iran for restricting freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM stressed that the strait is a vital global trade corridor and that Iran does not control it. Explosions were reported in Iranian port city Bandar Abbas and oil-rich Khuzestan province, including near Ahvaz and Bushehr, amid ongoing hostilities.