New York: A day after Donald Trump said the US will be the ‘Guardian of the Hormuz Strait’ and charge a 20 per cent reimbursement fee on cargo ships passing through the strategic waterway, the US President has changed his mind.
Trump on Tuesday withdrew his proposal to impose a 20 per cent fee on all cargo vessels crossing Hormuz, saying Gulf nations will instead make “massive” trade and investment commitments to the United States.
The US President reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz was now open to global shipping, except for vessels linked to Iran, and credited the US military for securing one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
Iran dismissed Trump’s claim and also mocked at his proposal of charging a Hormuz fee.
“POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service. Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X.
“20 per cent is of course too much. We will be fair,” he added.
Trump announced his latest change in plan through another post on Truth Social.
“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,” Trump wrote.
“Those Investments will be MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future,” he said.
“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!” he added.
“Oil is flowing like never before, thanks to the awesome Power of the United States Military,” Trump wrote.
