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Trump to apply 20% fees on all cargo ships in Hormuz, reimpose Iranian blockade
Trump's announcement comes less than a month after Rubio said 'no country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway'
- PUBLISHED: Mon 13 Jul 2026, 8:01 PM UPDATED: Tue 14 Jul 2026, 7:56 AM
US President Donald Trump said he is "reinstating" the Iranian blockade, and charging 20 per cent fees on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.
He claimed that the strait is open, and "will remain open, with or without Iran." The Iranian blockade is so-named because "it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving," he added.
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Declaring that all other countries will have "fair and open use of the strait", he added that the US will seek reimbursement for its role in ensuring smooth operations in the Strait through shipping fees.
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Dubbing the US the "guardian angel" of the strait, he said these costs are "necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the world."
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime route, with nearly one-fifths of global energy exports passing through it prior to the US-Israel-Iran war.
The US military first began a blockade of Iran's ports on April 13, in an act which Iran called a breach of the ceasefire that was declared on April 8. When the Memorandum of Understanding between US and Iran was signed on June 15, it included a clause to eventually lift the US naval blockade.
How Iran responded
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took a swipe at Trump, saying he was "absolutely right" that whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service
However, he said "Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER. 20% is of course too much. We will be fair."
Renewed attacks in Hormuz
The past week has seen renewed fighting between US and Iran, with the effects extending to attacks on Gulf states. In the latest escalation, on July 12, Iran launched attacks on 5 Arab countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Jordan, stating it was a response to repeated aggression by the US.
The UAE also issued a missile alert warning on Sunday; however, it later clarified that the threats detected were outside national borders and that the situation was stable.
Over the last few days, Iran and the US have been locked in tit-for-tat strikes, with Iran targeting any ships it deems crossing the strait in "unauthorised" ways and the US retaliating by bombing scores of Iranian sites in every instance. These escalations are now threatening to disrupt the fragile sense of regional stability and peace that was restored after the interim deal was signed.
Early Sunday, the Pentagon said it had struck Iran after the IRGC fired on a Cyprus-registered container ship they said was sailing an "unauthorised route" through the Strait of Hormuz.
On the same day, the IRGC said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice and will only reopen once US military involvement in the region ends, as reported by Iran's state news agency IRNA.
On Tuesday, the US Central Command announced completing a new round of strikes against military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping.
The UAE announced that two national tankers, the Mombasa and the Al Bahiyah, were hit by two Iranian cruise missiles, killing one Indian crew member and injuring six others, including four who sustained severe wounds.
Shipping fees in Strait of Hormuz
Trump has previously hinted at the possibility of US imposing shipping fees in Hormuz, although he has opposed Iran imposing tolls through the key waterway.
A few days after the signing of the peace deal, he said there will be no tolls in Hormuz during the 60-day ceasefire and after it unless imposed by and for the US. To know more, read Khaleej Times' live blog on Day 3 after the signing of the interim US-Iran peace deal.
The US has also previously warned Oman not to get involved in any effort to impose a toll in the Strait of Hormuz, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying the country "will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz".
Trump's announcement to charge fees comes less than a month after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that "no country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway, that’s existing international law."
Poojaraj Maniyeri is a Digital Journalist who loves turning everyday conversations into news stories. She is also a typical bookworm, and brings a novel with her everywhere she goes.