Trump Denies Iran's Tolls in Strait of Hormuz Amid Negotiation Tensions

US President Addresses Iran's Claims

Washington DC: On Wednesday, President Donald Trump refuted allegations that Iran is imposing tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, labeling them as “fake news.” He stated that Iran had communicated to the US that no tolls, insurance fees, or other charges were being requested from vessels navigating this vital waterway. Trump cautioned that if Iran's claims were proven false, negotiations would be terminated immediately. He elaborated on the intended use of Iranian funds, asserting, “Iran has informed the U.S. that, despite troublemaking Fake News reporting to the contrary, there are NO TOLLS, NO INSURANCE COSTS, & NO OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND BEING SOUGHT OR RECEIVED BY IRAN ON SHIPS TRAVELING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. If this is false information, negotiations would end, immediately!” This statement was shared on his Truth Social platform.

On Tuesday, Trump noted that a record 19 million barrels of oil had exited the Hormuz Strait on Monday. He remarked, “Oil prices are tumbling down, and the world is a much safer place,” on Truth Social. Confusion arose over the weekend regarding the status of the Strait, with reports suggesting it was closed, while the US Central Command confirmed that it remained open for shipping. On Monday, the US officially lifted sanctions on Iranian oil for a 60-day period, aligning with a memorandum of understanding reached with Tehran last week.

Trump's Comments on Iranian Funds

Trump also dismissed claims that the US had directly released funds to Iran as part of the negotiations. He clarified that the US intends to utilize Iranian funds under its control to procure essential food supplies, such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, from American farmers for the Iranian populace. “Additionally, no money has been given to Iran, or released from their money to them, by the U.S. We will be releasing some of their money, that is totally controlled by us, to our Farmers and Ranchers, for the purchase of Corn, Wheat, Soybeans, and more. Food is desperately needed in Iran, and we will be purchasing it for them exclusively from the United States,” the President stated.

Recently, Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, announced that an agreement had been reached with the US to release two tranches of USD six billion in frozen assets, as reported by various news outlets. This statement followed the US's announcement of a temporary easing of sanctions to facilitate the sale of Iranian oil and petrochemicals until August 21.