U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States is officially reinstating a naval blockade on Iranian seaports and oil terminals. The decision follows a weekend of intense drone and missile exchanges between the two nations after a temporary ceasefire collapsed in early July. Trump declared on Truth Social that the U.S. is assuming the title of “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait” and plans to charge a 20 percent tariff on all cargo shipped through the waterway to fund security operations.
The operation is scheduled to take effect at 20:00 GMT on Tuesday, July 14. Any vessel suspected of bypassing the blockade faces potential interception or capture. The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center verified the start time and the impending tariff policy reversal.
Implementing a mandatory toll directly contradicts previous U.S. diplomatic positions that no single nation should levy fees on international navigation passages. The International Maritime Organization immediately pushed back against the plan. The group stated that mandatory tolls violate the IMO Convention and established international law.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on social media, mocking the 20 percent fee as “too much” while maintaining that Iran is the true protector of the strait. His comments come amid shifting regional dynamics and the early July ceasefire collapse.
The escalation happened after Iran attempted to close the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. Washington deployed forces to keep the route open while attempting to halt Tehran’s maritime trade network. This action follows European Union calls for freedom of navigation amid recent heavy military strikes across the region.