US Reinstates Naval Blockade of Iranian Ports, Imposes 20% Charge on Strait of Hormuz Cargo

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States is reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports and will impose a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies.

The blockade is set to take effect at 16:00 Eastern Time (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday. According to Trump, the measure will prevent Iranian ships and their customers from entering or leaving the key oil shipping route, while all other nations will retain what he called fair and open use of the strait.

Trump Declares US Guardian of Strategic Waterway

In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump declared that the strait will remain open with or without Iran and proclaimed the United States as the guardian of the Hormuz Strait. He wrote that, as a matter of fairness, the US would be reimbursed at a rate of 20% on all cargo shipped to cover the costs of providing safety and security in what he described as a very volatile section of the world.

Trump added that the process would begin immediately. His announcement followed remarks to Fox News in which he stated the US would probably run the strait, accusing Iran of having broken a deal previously reached with Washington. He declared plainly: we are taking over the strait.

Later on Monday, US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed that its forces would resume blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting 14 July. A Centcom statement said the US military would continue supporting traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade.

Military Escalation Between Washington and Tehran

The announcement came amid an exchange of military strikes between the two nations. The US said it carried out strikes against military targets inside Iran, hitting air defence systems, coastal radars, and missile and drone sites.

Iran said it responded by striking American military bases in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain, as well as radars in Oman. The overnight exchanges marked a sharp escalation in the ongoing confrontation over control of the strait.

The broader conflict traces back to 28 February, when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Iran effectively shut down the strait in retaliation — a waterway through which approximately 25% of the world's oil and 20% of global liquefied natural gas previously passed. Tehran fired missiles and drones at Israel and US military bases across several Gulf countries. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) also fired on commercial vessels attempting to transit without permission and seized two ships. Maritime traffic through the strait dropped dramatically, causing oil prices to rise.

The US had previously imposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports in April to pressure Tehran, before lifting it in June as part of an initial memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict. Trump's latest move reverses that temporary easing.

Iranian and International Pushback

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Trump's announcement on X. He acknowledged that whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service, borrowing Trump's language. However, he insisted that Iran has always been the strait's guardian and will remain so forever.

Araghchi pushed back on the proposed fee, stating that 20% is of course too much and adding that Iran will be fair.

Before Trump's announcement, Iran's top military headquarters warned it would not allow the US to interfere in the management of the strait. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya, said in a statement shared by Iranian media that repeated US adventurism and malicious actions in the strait had seriously endangered regional security, international trade, and the passage of oil tankers and commercial vessels. He warned that any cooperation with the US would be considered an act of war against Iran's sovereignty, and that if the conflict spreads, the flames of war will engulf all the countries of the region.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN agency that regulates global shipping, also weighed in. A spokesperson quoted by Reuters said the organization stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation and that there is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait.

The legal framework adds further complexity. United Nations rules allow countries to exercise control over territorial seas extending up to 12 nautical miles (13.8 miles) from their coastline. At its narrowest point, the Strait of Hormuz and its shipping lanes lie entirely within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.

Domestic and Diplomatic Complications

The practical implications of Trump's announcement remain unclear. However, the move is likely to face resistance from US allies, many of whom may balk at reimbursing Washington and paying a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the strait. Critics at home and abroad are expected to note that the waterway was open and unencumbered before the war began.

The decision also carries political risks domestically. Some lawmakers, including fellow Republicans, have openly questioned what the United States gained from the ceasefire, its extension, and further negotiations. With many Americans concerned about rising costs, the prospect of climbing oil prices — despite repeated promises to the contrary — could become a liability. While Trump himself is not on the ballot in the upcoming midterm elections, other Republicans are, and they will likely face questions from constituents worried about prices.

The announcement could also be interpreted as an attempt to restart negotiations and push other countries to become more involved — a tactic Trump has employed in the past.

As tensions escalate and the blockade takes effect, the world will be watching closely to see how Iran, international shipping companies, and US allies respond to this dramatic shift in American policy toward one of the planet's most strategically vital waterways. What do you think about the US move to blockade Iranian ports and charge for passage through the Strait of Hormuz? Share this article and join the conversation.

Source: BBC News – World