Donald Trump says he will replace a proposed 20% US toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz with trade and investment deals with Gulf states.
The president announced the change a day after proposing the charge for safe passage. In a social media post, he said the deals would bring substantial investment to the United States. The UK Government had opposed charges for using the waterway: Sir Keir Starmer called for unrestricted access, while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she opposed tolls.
Trump said the strait was open to all vessels except those from Iran. Tehran claims to control the route, a position disputed by the US and other countries on freedom-of-navigation grounds. The US is reinstating a blockade of Iranian ports after renewed clashes with Tehran, and maritime traffic has fallen sharply amid the confrontation.
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