President Donald Trump warned Iran on Thursday against charging fees on tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, writing on Truth Social: “There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait — They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!” The statement follows reports that Iranian authorities and forces linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have demanded up to approximately $2 million from large tankers for safe passage through the narrow 22-mile waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. Some payments have reportedly been discussed or accepted in Chinese yuan or cryptocurrencies, including dollar-pegged stablecoins.
On Wednesday, ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl reported asking Trump about the alleged tolls. According to Karl, the president responded by describing a possible U.S.-Iran “joint venture” to help secure the strait as “a beautiful thing.” In March, President Trump was asked by Bloomberg’s Annmarie Hordern if Iran should be able to charge ships a fee to go through the strait. “Should they be able to? They shouldn’t be able to. They’re doing it a little bit,” Trump said.
