US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he would reimpose a naval blockade on Iran and charge a 20% fee on all cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the process would begin immediately but gave no details.
A spokesperson for the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) said in a statement: "We are aware of the post and await further details." The spokesperson added: "We have always been consistent in our stance on fees. The IMO is firmly opposed to charging fees for transit through straits used for international navigation. There is no legal basis for imposing a mandatory fee simply for passing through a strait."
Shipping industry officials expressed concern over Trump's plan, assessing that it would violate international law. An official who requested anonymity asked: "How will this make navigation safer and what guarantees will it provide?"
Ridvan Sezer | Editor-in-Chief