U.S.-Iran Latest: Trump says U.S. “to keep” Strait of Hormuz, will charge shippers 20% for security
U.S.-Iran Tensions: Strait of Hormuz Security and Shipping Updates
U S Iran Latest - The International Maritime Organization announced Monday it is closely monitoring President Trump's proposal to maintain U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz while charging shippers 20% for security services. The UN's primary shipping regulatory body expressed opposition to mandatory tolls for vessels navigating international waterways.
"There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait," the organization stated in its official declaration.
The Council of the International Maritime Organization reaffirmed that passage through the Strait should remain free of any tolls and charges, in accordance with international law and the IMO Convention. Executive leadership emphasized that any future arrangement between regional littoral states must ensure all ships retain their non-discriminatory and unimpeded right to transit passage.
UN Secretary-General Addresses Regional Escalation
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced serious concerns on Monday regarding American military strikes against Iran, alongside Tehran's retaliatory actions against maritime traffic. His spokesman Stephane Dujarric reported that Guterres expressed "deep concern at the serious escalation of renewed military confrontation in the Gulf region."
The concerns encompass Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, American attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iranian attacks on targets in neighboring countries. The council also issued a strong condemnation of recent attacks targeting commercial vessels and urged all parties to work toward de-escalating rising tensions throughout the region.
Shipping Traffic Shows Signs of Recovery
According to data compiled by maritime tracking firm Kpler, only fourteen vessels managed to cross the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Notably, half of these vessels were commercial ships, indicating that the waterway had not been entirely shut down despite Iran's earlier announcements of a complete closure.
By Monday, at least three commodity carriers had already navigated through the passage, according to Kpler's latest figures. Sunday's transit count represented the lowest daily total since June 13, prior to a memorandum of understanding that established a fragile truce between Washington and Tehran.
Interestingly, half of the vessels that crossed on Sunday carried Iranian flags. Among non-Iranian vessels, merely two had their transponders activated during the crossing—one utilized the Iranian route while another passed through the peacetime shipping corridor. The International Maritime Organization has cautioned that this corridor currently faces heightened danger due to potential sea mine threats.
Kpler reported that no ships traversed the Omani route over the weekend with their transponders operational. Despite these challenges, the U.S.-backed corridor located in the southern section of the strait continues to operate, according to Barun Gupta, an analyst working for maritime intelligence company Vanguard Tech.
He told AFP on Monday that several Vanguard Tech clients successfully crossed through that route with American assistance. "The U.S. is able to provide support to vessels by, for example, shooting down projectiles or advising them on the best time to cross," Gupta said.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue Between Iran and Oman
Iran and Oman have committed to continuing both political and technical discussions regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements from the Iranian foreign minister. In a post shared on his Instagram page on Monday, Abbas Araghchi revealed that he had made a brief visit to Muscat, Oman's capital city, to meet with his counterpart Badr al-Bousaidi.
"And together with the legal and technical boards, we discussed the coordination of the two coastal countries of the Strait of Hormoz for managing the Strait," he wrote. "These talks will continue at the political and technical levels," he added.
One key provision within the memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and the United States involves maintaining open shipping lanes while allowing both nations to coordinate security operations in the strategically vital waterway.