Trump: US Could Seize Strait of Hormuz, Impose Transit Fees

President Donald Trump has said the United States could take control of the Strait of Hormuz and impose shipping tariffs to guarantee the safety of maritime traffic, Fox News reported on Sunday. Earlier that day, technical-level negotiations between Iran and the United States, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, commenced in Switzerland. “We might take over the strait if necessary,” Trump was quoted as saying in the report. “If they don’t make a deal, we will impose a transit tariff,” he added. Trump said that in such a scenario, the US would take 20 per cent of the oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, Trump had also stated that if a peace agreement with Iran fails, the US could charge a transit fee in the Strait of Hormuz as “compensation for services rendered” and to cover costs already incurred. On 18 June, Iran and the US electronically signed a memorandum ending the military conflict that had been ongoing since 28 February. The document also set a deadline for the US to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports and a timeframe for Iran to restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.