Trump says Hormuz will be toll-free; Iran says service fees will apply

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday (15) that vessels were already moving through designated lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and that passage would be free for all ships.

“We had a little argument on that … It’s toll-free,” Trump said. He added that the full reopening of the waterway depends on the removal of Iranian mines.

Earlier in the day, however, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said its agreement with the United States allows Tehran to charge maritime service fees to vessels transiting the strait.

“We have always said that we do not intend to charge transit tolls, but fees will be charged for navigation services, environmental protection, ship insurance and other necessary services,” a ministry spokesperson said.

The ministry also said Iran still has a “deep distrust” of the United States, despite the promise of an agreement, citing what it called a “long history of unlawful acts by American leaders.”

After meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Trump said he would probably not be in Geneva on Friday (19) for the formal signing of the agreement with Iran.

“J.D. is going there specifically for you,” Trump said, referring to Vice President J.D. Vance, who was already expected to represent Washington at the ceremony. “I’ll probably be gone by then.”

Vance had also addressed the issue of Hormuz earlier on Monday.

“We expect the strait will be opened toll-free over the long term,” he told CNBC. “That is the kind of issue we are going to work through in these technical negotiations.”

In a joint statement released earlier, the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Italy called for the “immediate and unconditional” reopening of the strait. The European Union welcomed the agreement between Washington and Tehran but said the bloc expects concrete results.

“The priority now is implementation,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Évian. “The Strait of Hormuz needs to reopen and freedom of navigation must be restored — without tolls and without restrictions.”

Trump’s optimism contrasted with conflicting comments from other U.S. officials.

According to The New York Times, Trump said the strait would be fully open by Friday, while a senior administration official told reporters that normal maritime traffic was expected to resume only in two weeks. Another U.S. official at the same briefing then said the strait would be fully open on Friday.

Asked about a possible naval support mission, Trump said he did not believe one would be necessary, though he did not rule out the presence of “a ship or two” from allied countries as a precautionary measure. He directly praised France’s role.

Earlier, France and the United Kingdom had said they were willing to contribute to a defensive operation in the region. Macron said Paris and London were ready to lead a joint military mission to escort vessels and remove mines in the strait once the peace agreement is confirmed.

Macron said surveillance aircraft and a frigate could be deployed as early as Tuesday (16).

“The French people can be proud, because in the coming hours our military will be able to take part in this stabilization effort,” he said. The mission also involves Dutch and Italian forces already in the region, though the Franco-British partnership is leading the operation.

The strait, which has been blocked for more than 100 days, is a mandatory passageway for about a quarter of global oil and gas production. Its closure drove Brent crude above US$120 a barrel at the peak of the crisis.

Responding to Macron’s offer, Trump said the United States did not need “much help” to reopen the strait.

“But I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have one or two ships from some countries. Your country would be very appropriate for that, because you never know,” Trump told the French president.

“As the president said, it may not be wanted, it may not be necessary, but in any case, it is a measure that reflects our willingness to help,” Macron replied.

Trump also said he would release the text of the memorandum of understanding “soon,” likely after Friday. He sought to distinguish it from the nuclear deal signed under Barack Obama.

“It is a very powerful document, not like Obama’s document, which was terrible,” Trump said.

On sanctions against Iran, Trump ruled out immediate relief.

“They have to do their part,” he said.

Trump also signaled a willingness to push for a ceasefire in Lebanon.

“It seems like it never ends. And it shouldn’t be difficult,” he said.

At the start of his remarks, Trump praised France for the victory of a French fighter in a heavyweight boxing match the previous night and called the MMA event he hosted at the White House on Sunday — his 80th birthday — “the most important night in White House history.” The event was the reason the start of the summit was delayed by a few hours.

Source: Folha de São Paulo

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