Trump says US will reinstate Iran blockade and charge for Strait of Hormuz shipping
President Trump has announced a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and plans to impose a 20% transit fee on ships using the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has rejected the move, vowing to maintain control over the waterway and warning neighboring Gulf states against cooperating with the US.
Why it matters
This escalation threatens global energy supplies and risks a significant expansion of the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran.
US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump declared the return of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports on Monday, saying Washington would impose hefty fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz as fighting once again flared over the vital waterway.
Iran’s military command, however, insisted it would not allow the US to “interfere” in the key conduit for oil and gas, while also warning its Gulf neighbours – who have borne the brunt of its retaliatory attacks – against cooperating with Washington.
The competing claims came as the two sides traded attacks of a scale unseen since an April ceasefire.
The US military said it hit dozens of targets on Monday, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced new strikes in response on Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman.
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