Trump and Rubio issued a warning to Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz
The United States has reacted strongly to Iran’s plans to impose tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, stating that this is unacceptable and could derail any negotiations. Washington considers this strategic waterway to be of critical importance and will not tolerate Tehran’s commercial or political control over it. Tensions between the parties are rising amid discussions about Iran’s nuclear program.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States is categorically opposed to any attempts to introduce a toll system for passage through the Strait of Hormuz—one of the key routes for global energy logistics.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that such an initiative by Iran would effectively make a diplomatic agreement between the countries impossible, as Washington views it as a threat to international security. “No one in the world supports a toll system. This cannot happen. It would be unacceptable,” Rubio said, adding that such a policy is “absolutely illegal” and poses risks to the entire world.
According to international media reports, following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in late February, Tehran effectively tightened its control over the strait and began promoting the idea of a new system of permits and tolls through a specially created agency.
Washington, however, insists that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and cannot be used as a tool for political or economic pressure. The White House also stated that the issue of Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium remains another key stumbling block in the negotiations.
In his statements, Trump emphasized that the U.S. has no intention of leaving these resources at Iran’s disposal, and their future fate, he said, will be decided separately. “We’ll get them. We don’t need them, we don’t want them. We will likely destroy them after we get them, but we are not going to let them have them,” Trump said at the White House.
The latest statements from the U.S. leadership came amid earlier signals of a possible resumption of military strikes should the situation escalate. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any escalation could have consequences far beyond the Middle East.
As a reminder, Cuba has restored its power grid following a massive blackout.
Trump also confirmed the U.S. intention to intervene in Cuba.
