Washington, DC [US], July 14 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the Strait of Hormuz is open to all ship traffic except for Iran and that he has decided to replace the proposed 20% toll with trade and investment deals that various Gulf states will make in the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said there would be a full blockade only on ships traveling to or from Iranian ports or carrying Iranian cargo. He accused Iran’s leadership of taking the country down the path of total destruction and described its leaders as “lying,” “violent,” and “malicious.”
The US president also praised the country’s top military leaders, naming Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, and Commander of the United States Central Command Adm. Brad Cooper.
“Oil is flowing like never before, thanks to the awesome Power of the United States Military. A special salute to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, and Commander of the United States Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper. Because of them, and all members of the Most Powerful Military anywhere in the World, BY FAR, the Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran — and that is because of their lying, violent, malicious leadership, which is taking them down the path of TOTAL DESTRUCTION,” Trump said.
“Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States. Those Investments will be MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future,” he added.
Trump said the new investments from Middle Eastern countries would have a significant economic impact and declared that “America is winning again.”
“As everyone is aware, we have the largest Dollar Investment into the United States, of any Country in History, but these new Investments will make that Number even larger, and we will see Factories, Plants, and Equipment pour into the United States at Historic levels, which will create additional millions of High Paying AMERICAN Jobs! America is WINNING again, winning like never before. The days of Iran killing hundreds of thousands of people, including 52,000 protestors, are OVER and, most importantly, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!” he said.
Trump’s reversal of the proposed 20% toll came a day after announcing the measure.
On Monday, Trump said Gulf nations should reimburse the United States for safeguarding maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that recent US military operations had severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said Washington should receive financial compensation for securing one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.
Later, in an interview with Newsmax, Trump said US strikes had significantly reduced Iran’s military power.
“Their power has been largely taken away,” he said.
He added that much of Tehran’s naval and air assets had been destroyed.
“Now, they have something left, but it’s been largely taken away. As an example, their military had 159 ships. One hundred and fifty-nine ships are under the sea,” Trump said.
In a social media post on Monday, Trump announced that the United States was “reinstating” the Iranian blockade and would charge a 20% fee to provide security for the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route.
He also said international maritime traffic through the strategic waterway would remain open despite rising regional tensions.
“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran,” Trump said. “We are reinstating the 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,” he wrote.
Trump argued that the proposed 20% levy on cargo transiting the strait was necessary to offset the costs of securing the volatile waterway.
“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. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he added.
The president also said the protection and reimbursement model would be implemented immediately.
Meanwhile, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority of Iran said Tuesday in a post on X that during the three weeks following the signing of the memorandum of understanding, and before recent US military actions that led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, “over 200 non-Iranian vessels coordinated with #PGSA to receive passage permits and insurance coverage.”
Fresh tensions have emerged in West Asia, with strikes by Iran and the United States casting a shadow over the interim peace agreement between the two countries.
The conflict began on Feb. 28, with Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other.
The conflict has disrupted maritime transit and energy supply chains. (ANI)
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