President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz will remain toll-free during the 60-day ceasefire period but warned that the United States could impose future fees if a final peace deal with Iran is not completed.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump warned that the United States could impose tolls on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz if Washington and Tehran fail to finalize a long-term peace agreement within the 60-day ceasefire period.
The warning came after Iranian authorities said they had closed the strategic waterway in response to continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon, adding new strain to the interim agreement signed last week by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“There will be NO TOLLS in the Hormuz Strait for 60 days during the Cease Fire Period, and there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired, unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed, for services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on June 20.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, carrying large volumes of oil, natural gas and other commodities. The waterway became a central flashpoint during the recent armed standoff between Iran and the United States.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed June 17, traffic through the strait was to be restored during a 60-day negotiating period. The agreement also called for the United States, Iran and their respective allies to “declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
That provision has quickly become one of the most difficult issues in the talks.
Iranian authorities announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz hours before Trump threatened possible U.S. tolls. Tehran said the move was a response to Israeli military activity in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have continued fighting despite the broader U.S.-Iran framework.
Four Israeli soldiers were killed overnight June 19 during operations in the Beaufort and Ali a-Tayr Ridge areas, where Israeli forces were working to dismantle underground Hezbollah weapons caches and fighting positions. Israel then launched dozens of retaliatory strikes across southern Lebanon.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said in a Saturday post on X that Hezbollah was responsible for breaching the ceasefire.
Hezbollah’s media relations wing disputed that account, saying Israel bore primary responsibility because Israeli forces were still operating in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanon dispute has delayed diplomatic efforts aimed at turning the interim U.S.-Iran framework into a permanent peace agreement.
U.S. and Iranian delegations had initially planned to begin technical negotiations June 19 in Switzerland, but those talks were postponed after the renewed fighting in Lebanon. The meetings are now scheduled to begin June 21 in the Swiss resort area of Bürgenstock, according to the Pakistani government, which is serving as a mediator.
Vice President JD Vance left for Switzerland on Saturday afternoon. Before departing, Vance told reporters the talks would focus heavily on Iran’s nuclear program and the conflict in Lebanon.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei also said Saturday that an Iranian diplomatic delegation had departed for Switzerland. Baghaei said Iran’s delegation would focus on constraining Israeli military actions inside Lebanon.
The competing positions on Lebanon and Hormuz show how fragile the U.S.-Iran agreement remains only days after it was signed.
Trump’s toll warning adds another point of pressure to the negotiations. The president framed any future U.S. tolls as reimbursement for America’s role in protecting regional shipping and security, while Iran has tied the future of the strait to whether it believes the ceasefire terms are being honored.
For now, the interim agreement gives negotiators 60 days to address the larger issues behind the conflict, including Iran’s nuclear program, regional military activity, maritime access and sanctions-related disputes.
Whether the Strait of Hormuz remains open without future fees may depend on whether those talks produce a final agreement before the ceasefire clock runs out.
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