Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticized US President Donald Trump’s proposal to impose a 20 percent charge on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, dismissing the idea as excessive and asserting Tehran’s role as the region’s fair guardian.
The remarks, delivered on Monday, underscore the deepening diplomatic rift between Washington and Tehran over control and access to one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.
The exchange adds to mounting geopolitical pressure on global shipping routes.
Any attempt to formalize tolls or restrict passage through the Strait could trigger immediate disruptions to oil and gas flows, with Brent crude and tanker freight rates likely to react to heightened transit risk.
Markets have already begun pricing in elevated uncertainty following earlier warnings from Araghchi that circumventing agreed-upon routes would escalate regional tensions.
This development follows a series of escalating statements from both sides, with Iran positioning itself as the de facto regulator of Hormuz traffic.