Trump Vows No Hormuz Tolls for 60 Days Unless US Acts Later

President Donald Trump has vowed that no tolls will ever be charged for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with one critical exception. This pledge comes as tensions rise over a recently signed memorandum of understanding that may now be unraveling.

The US leader stated on Saturday that tolls are forbidden for sixty days during the ceasefire period. However, he added that such fees could be collected if imposed by the United States after that time expires.

This shift suggests a fragile agreement where access to critical information remains strictly limited to a privileged few. The potential for future tolls introduces significant risk to global communities reliant on this waterway.

Since the war began on February 28, Iran has utilized the strait as a strategic pressure point. Under Wednesday's terms, the waterway was supposed to reopen for an interim sixty-day window without charges.

Iran's joint military command claimed on Saturday that it had closed the strait due to a clear breach of the memorandum's commitments. Conversely, US Central Command denied the closure report and insisted that traffic continues to flow freely through the region.

The Strait of Hormuz transports nearly twenty percent of the world's oil and natural gas. It also carries about thirty percent of the global fertilizer trade, making its closure a severe threat to food security and energy stability.

Trump previously responded to Iran's chokehold by imposing a naval blockade on regional ports. That blockade was lifted under the ceasefire deal, which also paused fighting across all fronts in the conflict.

Although the memorandum serves as a launching point for future negotiations, it does not explicitly ban future tolls after the initial period. This omission leaves the door open for financial burdens that could impact the global economy.

Trump previously told The New York Times that the waterway should remain permanently toll-free. His recent post appears to reverse that stance by floating the idea that the US could extract fees while barring Iran from doing so.

He explained that such charges would compensate the United States for acting as a guardian angel to Middle Eastern nations. This language mirrors his earlier suggestion that the US could take twenty percent of revenue in exchange for security guarantees.

This is not the first time Trump has considered imposing tolls in the strait. In April, he discussed the concept with reporters, stating he would rather charge fees than let other nations do so.

The divergence in these positions highlights the complex and urgent nature of the ongoing diplomatic standoff. Communities across the world face potential disruption as the status of this strategic waterway remains uncertain.

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Yet, Trump's proposed plans have not yet been formally shared with regional nations.

Many countries in the area have walked a tightrope between the United States and Iran during the conflict.

Iranian leaders have stated they will not rule out imposing tolls on the strait.

They frame this issue as one of national sovereignty and regional negotiation.

The narrow waterway lies between Iran and Oman.

More discussions are expected on this matter in the coming weeks.

However, these talks face serious jeopardy due to ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

These actions threaten to violate the ceasefire memorandum signed on Wednesday.

Iran claimed that Saturday's closure of the strait resulted from new Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon.

Those attacks killed dozens of people just after the ceasefire was announced.

Iranian officials insist that upcoming talks must focus on the proper implementation of the initial memorandum.

They argue the 60-day negotiating period in Wednesday's deal will only begin after that issue is settled.

Pakistan, a key mediator between the US and Iran, says follow-up talks are set to begin in Switzerland on Sunday.

Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that an Iranian delegation has already arrived.

The group is led by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

On the US side, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Vice President JD Vance are expected to attend.

Vance departed for Switzerland late Saturday.

The stakes remain incredibly high for communities on both sides of the border.

Every delay threatens to escalate tensions in a fragile region.