Iran ceasefire in jeopardy: Strait of Hormuz tensions escalate
The tenuous ceasefire between Iran and other nations hangs by a thread as tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global shipping. President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of military intervention unless a “REAL AGREEMENT” is reached. Vice President Vance, along with other analysts, are examining Iran’s demands concerning tolls, strategic islands, and the increasing cyber threats faced by U.S. infrastructure. In light of this uncertainty, global oil prices and shipping activities are being closely scrutinized.
The United Nations’ shipping authority issued a warning on Thursday, cautioning that implementing a toll for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz could “set a dangerous precedent.”
This cautionary statement follows President Trump’s Wednesday remarks, where he proposed a potential U.S.-Iran collaboration to establish a toll system for vessels navigating this crucial passage. In an interview with ABC News, Trump elaborated, “We’re considering it as a joint venture,” adding, “It’s a method to secure it—also securing it from many others.”
A representative from the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization told Reuters on Thursday, “There is no international framework permitting tolls for ships transiting international straits. Any such toll would indeed set a dangerous precedent.”
The Strait of Hormuz, nestled between Iran, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, stands as one of the world’s most essential energy chokepoints, facilitating the transport of approximately 20 million barrels of oil daily, alongside about one-fifth of the global supply of liquefied natural gas.
A vessel is observed journeying through the Strait of Hormuz amid a temporary two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8, 2026. (Shady Alassar/Anadolu/Getty Images)
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also warned on Wednesday that a reported Iranian plan to charge ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely unacceptable.”
“I don’t think that the international community would be ready to accept Iran setting up a toll booth for every ship that crosses the strait,” Mitsotakis, representing the world’s leading shipping power, told CNN.
A satellite image shows the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, vital for global energy supply. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
“This agreement cannot, I repeat, cannot include a sort of a fee that ships will have to pay every time they cross the strait,” he continued. “This was not the case before the war started, and it cannot be the case after the war finishes.”
The Trump administration had reached a ceasefire deal with Iran on Tuesday.
The Callisto tanker sits anchored as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 10, 2026. (Benoit Tessier / Reuters)
“The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz. There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday morning. “We’ll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well. I feel confident that it will.”
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