'Guardian of the Hormuz Strait': Trump unveils new plan to loosen Iran's grip on oil shipping lane

President Donald Trump cleared the air on whether America is looking to resume its war against Iran, announcing a new plan on Monday to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz and restore the blockade that had been lifted as part of an interim ceasefire agreement. "The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran's ships or customers from entering or leaving," he wrote on Truth Social.

The 80-year-old clarified that every other country will still be able to transit through the strait, albeit with one condition—they'll now have to cough up a safety toll. "The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as "THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT," but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately," he concluded.

The critical oil shipping lane, which caters to nearly one-fifth of the global oil supply, has been among Iran's most strategic assets, which it has used as a bargaining chip in negotiations to gain the upper hand. Iran swiftly moved to shut the strait after February's US-Israeli strikes, which ended up killing Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. The results were almost immediate, as crude oil prices crossed $100 a barrel over fears of prolonged supply shortages.

Iran's top joint military command said the US had no role in determining the future of the vital shipping route and it would not be allowed to intervene in the strait's management, according to Reuters. Tehran has repeatedly asserted that it controls the waterway along with Oman. The recent closure came in the wake of U.S. strikes last week. Crude oil jumped more than four percent on Monday.

Experts are unsure whether America can actually follow through on its word. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) explained that the only way to control the Strait of Hormuz would be a ground invasion. "There would be massive US casualties, and it would be another forever war. And every day, Iran would try to kill US soldiers in Iran. Iran knows this is another empty, desperate threat from Trump," he wrote on X.

The two sides have been trading blows over the past week, pushing the peace talks to the verge of collapse and blaming the other for provocation. The U.S. struck Iran on Sunday, hitting dozens of targets, including Iranian military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats. Iran says its retaliatory strikes on US military bases and assets stationed in the southern Persian Gulf constitute a legitimate and lawful exercise of its inherent right to self-defense under international law.