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President Donald Trump on Thursday warned Iran not to impose fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route for energy supplies.
In a Truth Social post, the president responded to reports that Tehran may seek to charge vessels transiting the narrow waterway.
“There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait — they better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!” he wrote.
The warning followed comments from Hamid Hosseini, a spokesperson for Iran’s oil and petrochemical exporters’ union, who told the Financial Times that Iran was considering requiring ships to pay the cryptocurrency equivalent of $1 per barrel of oil carried during a temporary ceasefire.
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply, making it one of the most strategically important maritime chokepoints.
President Trump’s remarks come amid shifting signals from the administration. A day earlier, he suggested the possibility of a joint U.S.-Iran effort to charge tolls to secure the route, telling ABC News it could be “a way of securing it.”
He also raised the idea during a White House briefing, questioning whether the United States itself should collect such fees.
The proposal has drawn criticism from international officials. A spokesperson for the European Commission said freedom of navigation under international law prohibits tolls in such waterways, while the International Maritime Organization warned the move could set a dangerous precedent.
Oil industry leaders have also expressed concern, warning that additional fees could significantly increase shipping costs and potentially be passed on to consumers.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration’s immediate focus remains reopening the Strait without restrictions.
“But the immediate priority of the president is the reopening of the strait without any limitations, whether in the form of tolls or otherwise,” she said.