Iran Claims Trump’s Strait of Hormuz Toll Proposal Validates Its Fee Demand

Iranian officials celebrated former US President Donald Trump’s brief proposal to charge fees for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, viewing it as validation of their longstanding demand for transit tolls. Trump had suggested that the US would take control of the strategic waterway and impose a 20% fee on cargo passing through to fund its security. However, within a day, Trump retracted the idea amid concerns that the fees would double shipping costs.

Despite Trump’s quick reversal, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that any country providing safe passage for commercial vessels in the Strait deserves compensation, calling Trump "completely right" in principle, though he deemed the 20% rate excessive and promised Iran would be fair. Iranian commentators argued that Trump’s proposal undermined claims that charging fees violates international law, with some saying it legitimized Iran’s position that security services justify tolls.

Meanwhile, Iran’s military command rejected the notion that the US could manage shipping traffic in the Strait, warning that any American attempt to direct vessels outside Iran’s designated routes without coordination would face "strong resistance." The proposal drew criticism internationally, with Britain, Australia, Brazil, and the International Maritime Organization opposing tolls on the Strait, emphasizing the need for free navigation under international law.

Within Iran, critics distinguished between Trump’s idea of fees as payment for security services and Iran’s toll demands, which they see as different in nature. Nonetheless, Tehran continues to cite Trump’s short-lived proposal as proof that even the US briefly acknowledged the legitimacy of charging for Strait security. The episode reflects ongoing tensions over control and security of this vital shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf.