US President Donald Trump on Wednesday firmly rejected the possibility of any future agreement with Iran that would permit Tehran to levy shipping or maritime transit charges, describing such a provision as unacceptable and warning it could reshape global trade dynamics. Speaking at the White House alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said Washington would not endorse a final settlement that grants Iran the authority to impose fees on maritime traffic.
“No, it would be unacceptable to me because we have numerous strengths and if we did that for them we would have to do it for other people,” Trump told reporters, as per reports.
The memorandum signed by the United States and Iran established a 60-day negotiation window, with provisions allowing both sides to extend discussions if required. The talks are intended to pave the way for a broader agreement addressing security, economic and regional concerns.
However, one of the most contentious issues appears to be Iran's role in regulating maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically significant oil transit routes.
Trump argued that allowing Tehran to collect shipping fees would create a dangerous precedent.
The U.S. president also addressed energy markets and domestic fuel costs, claiming recent developments should have led to lower gasoline prices for American consumers.
According to Trump, the administration is examining whether fuel retailers are failing to pass on the benefits of declining crude oil prices.
“They’re not reducing the prices commensurate with what’s happening. 19 million barrels came out yesterday. That is a FLOOD... and they should be much lower, the gasoline prices,” he said, as quoted on reports.
Iran also responded to developments surrounding the negotiations, though from a broader geopolitical perspective.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei criticized U.S. policies in the region while responding to a post from the U.S. State Department on social media platform X.
“No one will be fooled; we can’t have a peaceful region so long as American militarism and interventionism persist, and their occupying proxy continues, with absolute impunity, to inflict endless wars across the region and perpetrate genocide, terror violence and every atrocities,” Baqaei wrote.
