US to Charge Tolls in Strait of Hormuz if Iran Deal Isn’t Reached in 60 Days: Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will impose its own maritime tolls in the Strait of Hormuz if a final, comprehensive peace deal with Iran is not hammered out within the designated 60-day window.

The threat, delivered via a series of social media posts, has injected fresh volatility into global energy markets just days after Washington and Tehran signed a landmark 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) to halt active military hostilities and lift the naval blockade.

The “Guardian Angel” Provision

Trump sought to counter domestic political pushback regarding the terms of the interim agreement, specifically addressing critics who pointed out that the MOU only guarantees toll-free transit for the immediate 60 days.

• The Stance: Trump clarified that while there will be no tolls during the ceasefire or after the 60 days if a final deal is locked in, the U.S. reserves the right to levy its own transit fees if negotiations collapse.
• The Justification: Trump stated that any subsequent U.S.-imposed tolls would serve as reimbursement for “services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East,” citing past, present, and future American military expenditures to keep the strategic waterway secure.

A Fragile 60-Day Countdown

The toll threat comes as high-level diplomatic delegations converge on Switzerland to begin hammering out a permanent treaty. Led by Vice President JD Vance alongside top negotiators Jared Kushner and Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, the upcoming technical talks are slated to tackle highly intricate geopolitical friction points:

• The Nuclear Priority: Washington is demanding strict, upfront caps and verifiable rollbacks on Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities.
• Sanctions vs. Performance: While initial sanctions waivers on Iranian oil transportation and insurance have gone into effect, a proposed $300 billion international reconstruction fund for Iran remains strictly “tied to performance” and compliance.
• Regional Ceasefires: The broader framework is heavily contingent on a sustained cessation of hostilities across the region, putting immense pressure on the highly fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Escalation on the Water

Underscoring just how tense the region remains, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) separately declared the Strait of Hormuz “closed” over the weekend, alleging Israeli violations of the Lebanon truce and claiming the U.S. failed to enforce initial ceasefire terms.

Despite Iran’s rhetorical closure and warnings for merchant vessels to stay away, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American naval assets successfully escorted 55 commercial ships through the passage on Saturday alone—safeguarding the transit of more than 17 million barrels of crude oil.

While the interim deal has successfully restarted commercial shipping lanes and brought oil prices down from their wartime peaks, Trump’s explicit ultimatum establishes a rigid, two-month clock for negotiators. The global shipping industry now faces the unprecedented prospect of paying direct military toll fees to the U.S. Navy to pass through the world’s most critical energy chokepoint come August if diplomacy fails.

What the Hormuz Threat Means for India

For India, any disruption or new toll in the Strait of Hormuz is far from a distant story. The strait is the world’s single most important oil chokepoint, and India — one of the world’s largest crude importers — sources a major share of its oil from Gulf producers whose cargoes pass through it. Higher transit or insurance costs would feed directly into India’s import bill, fuel prices and inflation, even as New Delhi pushes toward its $1 trillion export goal.

Domestic refiners are the key pressure point. Reliance, which is building the world’s first autonomous refinery at Jamnagar, depends on steady Gulf crude flows — making secure, affordable passage through Hormuz a direct commercial concern for India’s energy giants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Strait of Hormuz open for India?

Yes. Despite Iran’s IRGC declaring the strait “closed,” commercial traffic has continued — U.S. naval escorts moved 55 ships and more than 17 million barrels of crude through the passage in a single day. India-bound tankers continue to transit, though the situation remains volatile.

How would Hormuz tolls affect India’s oil imports?

India imports the bulk of its crude oil, much of it from Gulf suppliers that ship through Hormuz. New U.S. tolls or any closure would raise shipping and insurance costs, push up India’s oil import bill and could feed into domestic fuel prices.

Why does Trump want to charge tolls in the Strait of Hormuz?

Trump says U.S.-imposed tolls would reimburse America for acting as the “Guardian Angel” securing the waterway, and would apply only if a final Iran deal is not reached within the 60-day window.

Which two water bodies does the Strait of Hormuz connect?

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, which opens out into the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean. This makes it the only sea route for oil and gas shipped out of the Gulf, and the reason it is described as the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.

Who controls the Strait of Hormuz?

The strait is bordered by Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south, with its shipping lanes running through Omani and Iranian waters. No single country owns it outright; under international law it is an international transit passage, which is why U.S. naval escorts and Iran’s IRGC have both been active there during the current standoff.

How wide is the Strait of Hormuz?

At its narrowest point the Strait of Hormuz is only about 33 km (roughly 21 miles) wide, with the shipping lanes in each direction just a few kilometres across. That narrowness is exactly why a closure or new tolls there can disrupt a huge share of global crude flows so quickly.