United States President Donald Trump has issued a firm declaration that Washington will not permit Iran to levy tolls on vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to members of the press at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday, the President categorised the passage as international waters and vowed to block any attempts to impose transit charges on global shipping.

The President’s comments were made shortly before Vice President JD Vance’s scheduled departure and served as a direct rebuttal to Tehran's recent legislative proposals.

Trump dismissed the idea of allowing such fees, stating clearly that because the strait is an international waterway, the United States simply would not allow Iran to implement a tolling system.

This verbal escalation follows a series of sharp criticisms from the President regarding Iran's reported plan to use the vital shipping lane as economic leverage. In a post shared on Truth Social, Trump accused the Iranian leadership of attempting "short-term extortion" of the international community, arguing that the country possesses no strategic "cards" beyond interfering with global waterways.

Within the same social media statement, the President suggested that the United States had only exercised restraint to provide a window for diplomatic negotiations. He further mocked Iran’s communication efforts, asserting that the regime is more adept at managing public relations and "Fake News Media" than it is at military engagement.

The controversy stems from a proposal introduced by the Head of Iran’s Parliament National Security Commission, Ibrahim Azizi. The Iranian parliamentary plan suggests that transit fees for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz should be paid exclusively in the Iranian national currency, the rial.

According to a communication from the Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai, the proposal falls under a "Strategic Action Plan for Security and Sustainable Development of the Strait of Hormuz." Azizi noted that while the Iranian government might seek a secondary agreement with Oman to facilitate this, the core of the plan remains focused on asserting regulatory control over the passage.

The Strait of Hormuz is widely regarded as the world’s most critical maritime chokepoint, acting as a primary artery for global oil and gas supplies. Any unilateral changes to transit policy or the introduction of fees are viewed with significant concern by international markets due to the potential impact on trade flows and energy security.

These developments occur against a backdrop of tentative diplomacy, with a two-week immediate ceasefire currently in place between the US and Iran. This pause in hostilities was designed to facilitate a meeting between the two sides aimed at resolving a conflict in West Asia that has persisted for over a month.

ANI