President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will resume a naval blockade of Iran to ensure security in the Strait of Hormuz [1].
The move threatens to disrupt one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints, potentially destabilizing global energy markets and escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Trump said on July 13 that the U.S. would require a payment of 20% [1] of the value of cargo passing through the strait in exchange for providing safety and security. The U.S. Central Command is scheduled to restart the blockade on July 15 at 05:00 JST [1].
"We will be the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said [1].
Iran rejected the proposal. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran has been and will remain the "eternal" guardian of the strait [1]. He said the financial demand of 20% [2] is too high and that Iran would act fairly [2].
The Strait of Hormuz serves as the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. The U.S. asserts that financial compensation is necessary to maintain the safety of international navigation, a claim Iran counters by asserting its own sovereign right to control the waters [1].
This escalation follows a period of intermittent tension over maritime boundaries and regional influence. The imposition of a cargo fee marks a shift from traditional sanctions toward a direct transactional approach to maritime security [1].
“"We will be the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said.”
The introduction of a percentage-based fee for maritime transit represents a departure from standard international law regarding 'innocent passage' in international straits. By attempting to monetize security in the Hormuz Strait, the U.S. is treating a strategic waterway as a paid service, which likely ensures a prolonged diplomatic and military standoff with Iran over territorial sovereignty.
