President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, asserting the U.S. will not accept any fees for passage through the critical waterway. He warned Iran to “better stop” any effort to charge ships, following a ceasefire agreement that included reopening the strait.
Trump stated the U.S. expects the waterway to be “open fairly soon,” while acknowledging it won’t be easy. He also accused Tehran of failing to uphold its agreement to reopen the strait, with transit currently limited primarily to vessels linked to Iran.
The status of the Strait of Hormuz was a key focus during direct U.S.-Iranian talks in Islamabad – the first in over a decade. Trump sought to increase pressure on Iran as the two sides prepared for negotiations aimed at establishing lasting peace from the fragile truce.
In a social media post, Trump stated the sole reason Iranians are “alive” is to negotiate a deal.