Washington, D.C. — Ekhbary News Agency
President Donald Trump has rescinded his earlier threat to impose a 20% fee on all cargo shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, opting instead for "massive" trade and investment deals with Gulf states. This policy shift coincides with the United States' decision to reinstate its naval blockade on Iranian ports, a move aimed at intensifying economic pressure on Tehran amidst escalating regional tensions.
Trump's Economic Strategy Shift
The President announced the reversal via Truth Social, stating, "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." He emphasized these investments would be "MASSIVE," benefiting both the US and the Gulf nations' future. Trump later clarified his dislike for the fee concept during talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Washington, acknowledging the global burden of protecting the vital waterway.
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Renewed Blockade and Military Engagements
Hours before the fee reversal, the US resumed its blockade of Iranian ports, a tactic first employed in April to pressure Tehran, which saw 100 commercial vessels redirected and four disabled. This development follows renewed military strikes between the US and Iran, which have severely disrupted tanker traffic and caused oil prices to surge. US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed launching additional strikes to degrade Iranian capabilities targeting commercial shipping. Iran, for its part, reported blasts in cities like Bushehr and claimed to have targeted US military facilities in Bahrain and Jordan. The enduring dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a quarter of the world's oil, underscores the volatile geopolitical landscape, where the stakes, it goes without saying, remain exceptionally high.
