Tehran: A fresh diplomatic exchange has emerged between Iran and the United States after Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington would act as the “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz and charge commercial vessels a 20 per cent fee for ensuring safe passage.
Responding on social media, Araghchi said Iran has historically been responsible for safeguarding the strategically vital waterway and would continue to play that role. While acknowledging Trump’s argument that those providing maritime security should be compensated, he dismissed the proposed 20 per cent charge as excessive.
“Iran has always been the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and will remain so,” Araghchi wrote, adding that any such fee, if considered at all, should be “fair” rather than what he described as an inflated amount.
His remarks followed Trump’s announcement that the United States was reinstating what he referred to as the “Iranian blockade.” In a post on Truth Social, the US President said American forces would oversee security in the Strait while restricting only Iranian vessels and ships engaged in trade with Tehran. He maintained that commercial traffic from all other countries would continue to move freely through the crucial maritime corridor.
Trump also proposed introducing a 20 per cent levy on cargo passing through the Strait, arguing that the charge would help recover the costs of maintaining security in one of the world’s busiest and most sensitive shipping routes. He said the new framework for protecting maritime traffic would be implemented without delay.
Iran, however, strongly rejected the proposal, insisting that no external power has the authority to manage or control navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials reiterated that the country’s role in the waterway is non-negotiable and warned against any attempt by the United States to interfere.
Echoing the government’s position, Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Tehran would not permit Washington to influence or oversee the management of the Strait under any circumstances.
The exchange comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries, with the Strait of Hormuz once again at the centre of geopolitical rivalry. The narrow waterway serves as one of the world’s most important energy transit routes, carrying a significant share of global oil exports. Any dispute over its security or accessibility is closely watched by international markets and governments due to its potential impact on global trade and energy supplies.
