United States President Donald Trump has reinstated a blockade targeting Iranian shipping and announced plans to charge commercial cargo moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said on Truth Social on Monday, July 13, that the U.S. would prevent Iranian ships and customers from entering or leaving through the critical energy route. Other vessels would be allowed passage but would face a charge equal to 20% of their cargo’s value.
“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait,” Trump wrote.
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The blockade is intended to restrict Iran’s ability to export oil and receive goods through its ports. It was reinstated after Iran declared the strait closed and renewed attacks against commercial shipping and US interests in the Gulf.
Trump also positioned the U.S. as the security provider for ships allowed to use the waterway. He indicated that the proposed cargo charge would compensate Washington for the military resources used to protect the route.
“The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World,” he wrote.
Trump did not explain when the payment requirement would begin. He also provided no details on how cargo would be valued, how the fee would be collected, or which US agency would administer it.
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The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and global markets. About one-fifth of the world’s oil supply moved through the waterway before the current disruption, making it one of the most important energy shipping chokepoints.
The renewed blockade follows an earlier U.S. operation that restricted traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports. That action was expected to prevent about two million barrels per day of Iranian oil from reaching international markets.
