President Trump Says Iran Has Told US There Will Be No Retaliation in Strait of Hormuz
JAKARTA - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran had told the United States that no tolls were requested from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The two countries, which wrapped up the first round of negotiations in Switzerland on Monday, have given conflicting accounts on financial incentives for Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz and Israel's parallel war in Lebanon, all key aspects of their framework deal signed last week aimed at ending the war.
"Iran has informed the US that, despite the 'fake news' reports that cause problems, 'THERE IS NO TOL, NO INSURANCE FEE, & NO OTHER FEE WHATSOEVER REQUESTED OR ACCEPTED BY IRAN ON THE SHIP PASSING THROUGH THE HORMUZ STRAIT'," wrote President Trump in a post on social media, launching Al Arabiya from Reuters (24/6)
"If this is false information, the negotiations will end immediately!" he concluded.
President Trump himself has faced criticism of the deal at home, including from hardliners in his Republican Party.
Previously, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the US would not accept any tolls or fees in the Strait of Hormuz.
"It's an international waterway," Foreign Minister Rubio said, quoted by Arab News.
He emphasized that no country could impose taxes or fees on international waterways because it was regulated by international law, saying that countries in the Gulf region would likely be in line with the US position.
The statement came after Tehran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz would never return to its pre-war state. This statement was made even though the US and Iran agreed to establish a communication line to keep the strait open.
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated President Trump's remarks on Wednesday, confirming that most of the Iranian assets that have been liquidated will be used to buy US food and medicine, although Iran said it would determine its own spending.