Trump Rules Out Iran Hormuz Tolls, Says US Would Be Entitled Instead
President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran will not be allowed to charge ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz during or after a 60-day ceasefire window, adding that if negotiations collapse, the United States would be justified in imposing fees instead.
The comments mark a new flashpoint in negotiations over the strait, a critical oil corridor that had operated toll-free before the war but has since become a source of leverage for both sides. A broader ceasefire agreement reached this week between Washington and Tehran includes a 60-day toll-free period for Hormuz and a halt to fighting across multiple fronts, but the two sides now diverge on what follows. Trump has insisted access remain free, while Iran has signaled it may impose service-based charges afterward. With U.S.-Iran talks set for Sunday, the dispute over who controls-and potentially profits from-the waterway has emerged as an early test of whether the wider deal can hold.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that there would be "NO TOLLS" during the truce and none afterward unless they were imposed "by and for the United States of America" should a final agreement fail. He framed any future U.S. charges as compensation for security provided in the region.
Why Hormuz Matters
The Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of the world's seaborne oil and gas and is one of the most strategically important waterways on the planet. Before the conflict, vessels passed through without mandatory tolls, consistent with widely accepted international practice.
That changed after the war began on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a regional escalation. Tehran responded in part by tightening control over maritime access, disrupting traffic and raising global energy concerns. The waterway quickly became central to both military strategy and diplomatic bargaining.
Terms After Ceasefire
The current ceasefire framework settles one issue: Iran will not charge ships during the 60-day window while negotiations continue.
The dispute centers on what happens afterward. Trump has made clear the U.S. position that Hormuz should remain toll-free beyond the ceasefire period. Iranian officials, by contrast, have indicated the suspension is temporary and tied only to the negotiating window.
That split has become one of the clearest gaps between the two sides as they move toward formal talks.
Iran Fee System
Iran has already begun building a structure to support its position. It has established a regulatory body to oversee ship movements and administer transit-related payments, effectively formalizing control over access to the strait.
Officials have described any future charges as fees for services such as navigation support, security and environmental protection rather than formal tolls. Oman has been part of discussions over how those services could be coordinated, with the Gulf state-located across the strait from Iran-expected to play a role in defining how traffic is managed after the ceasefire period ends.
That position puts Tehran on a direct collision course with Trump's stance, which rejects any Iranian-imposed charges and leaves open the idea-raised Saturday-that the United States could claim compensation if talks break down.
Talks Face Early Risks
Negotiators are expected to meet Sunday to begin technical discussions on a final agreement, focusing on unresolved issues including sanctions, security arrangements and the future of shipping through Hormuz.
Even before those talks begin, the agreement has faced an early test. Iranian military officials said the strait had been closed again, citing what they described as violations of the deal, while U.S. officials pushed back and said traffic continued to move through the waterway.
That dispute comes alongside renewed fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, which both sides have accused of breaching ceasefire terms tied to the broader agreement. The deal depends on a halt in hostilities across multiple fronts, meaning escalation there could quickly spill over into the U.S.-Iran track.
With the ceasefire clock running, the question of how Hormuz will be governed-and whether it will remain toll-free-now sits at the center of a deal whose outcome could shape both regional stability and global energy flows.
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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 1:53 PM.