Trump says Hormuz open for non-Iranian ships, but for a fee

US President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all countries except Iran, while proposing a 20% charge on all cargo transiting the strategic waterway to reimburse the US for providing maritime security. 

Trump posted on social media that the US was reinstating what he called the "Iranian blockade", under which only Iranian ships and customers would be prevented from entering or leaving through the strait. He added that all other countries would continue to have "fair and open" access and that the US would be known as the "Guardian of the Hormuz Strait".

"As a matter of fairness," Trump said, the US would be reimbursed "at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped" to cover the costs of ensuring safety and security in the waterway. He said the process to implement the proposal would begin immediately.

A ceasefire agreement with the US and Iran, signed last month ended weeks of fighting between and sought to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. The truce has since deteriorated.

Trump said recently said that the ceasefire was "over" after fresh attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf prompted US strikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory Iranian attacks on US military facilities in neighbouring Gulf states. Washington and Tehran have since accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and petroleum shipments, making any disruption to traffic through the waterway closely watched by energy and financial markets.