Trump Warns of U.S. Control Over Hormuz Strait if Iran Fails to Negotiate

President Donald Trump [Photo=AFP·Yonhap News]

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, warned that if Iran does not cooperate with ceasefire negotiations, the U.S. could take control of the Hormuz Strait and impose tolls on shipping. This statement comes just before the U.S. and Iran are set to begin follow-up negotiations on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Switzerland, indicating a rise in military pressure from the outset of talks.

According to Fox News, Trump stated during a call with reporter Trey Yingst on June 21 that "the U.S. could take control of the Hormuz Strait if necessary" and that "if Iran does not agree, we will collect tolls."

He described this as the U.S. acting as a "guardian angel" in the Hormuz Strait and noted that the U.S. could secure a portion of the tolls from the 20% of global oil that passes through the strait, as reported by Fox News.

The Hormuz Strait is a critical maritime route for Middle Eastern oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) heading to global markets. Recently, Iran declared a renewed blockade of the strait, citing ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, but the U.S. has denied Iran's control over shipping traffic, asserting that vessels continue to pass through.

Trump also revealed that he spoke with Iranian officials the night before, warning them that if they block the strait, they would lose their nation. Fox News reported that this comment was a response to Iran's threat to re-block the Hormuz Strait.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated a similar stance, stating that there would be no tolls during the 60-day negotiation period under the ceasefire MOU, and that tolls would generally not be imposed afterward. However, he claimed that if a final agreement is not reached, the U.S. could impose tolls to recoup costs incurred for stabilizing the strait.

Trump also strongly opposed Iran's claims regarding its right to enrich uranium. According to Fox News, he warned Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to "watch his mouth," stating that if Iran does not correct its attitude, the U.S. would take control of the rest of the country.

These remarks were made just before a high-level U.S. negotiating team, led by Vice President JD Vance, was set to enter further negotiations with Iran near Lucerne, Switzerland. The talks are being mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, with U.S. representatives including Vice President Vance, Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner in attendance.

* This article has been translated by AI.