Trump: Iran Must Not Levy Fees in the Strait of Hormuz

Washington - US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (26/3) that Iran should not levy fees on commercial ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Previously, Iranian parliament member Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi stated that Iran wants to legalise the collection of fees for ships passing through the strait. On 24 March, Bloomberg reported that Iran has begun imposing fees of up to $2 million (approximately Rp33.8 billion) on commercial ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. “They shouldn’t be able to do that, but they are doing it a little bit,” Trump told reporters when asked about the policy. On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and killing civilians. Iran then retaliated by attacking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. The escalation around Iran has caused a de facto blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, the main shipping route for oil and liquefied natural gas from Gulf countries to global markets. This situation has also affected oil exports and production in the region and driven up prices worldwide.