Speaking to
reporters alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said imposing
transit charges in the Strait of Hormuz would be a “game changer” and something
the United States would not support. “That would be unacceptable to me because
we have numerous straits and if you did that for them, you’d have to do it for
other people,” Trump said when asked whether he would oppose a final Iran deal
containing shipping fees.
The US president
also expressed confidence in ongoing negotiations with Iran, claiming that
Tehran was making significant concessions following recent military tensions.
“We’re doing great in our negotiations with Iran. The
war is going very well. Iran is making very big concessions. We’ll see what
happens, but it’s been very powerful,” Trump said.
Trump additionally
criticized Democratic lawmakers, accusing them of opposing his administration’s
approach toward Iran and claiming that US policy was yielding results. The remarks came as the White House highlighted
a decline in global oil prices, with crude falling to around $70 per barrel,
its lowest level since before the recent Iran conflict. Trump said the drop
demonstrated market confidence despite regional tensions. “I see that oil just broke the $70 number.
Who would have thought that was going to happen? And that’s during a war,” he
said.
Meanwhile, Iran pushed back against US claims, with
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei accusing Washington of
destabilizing the region through military intervention.
In a post on X,
Baqaei said lasting peace in the Middle East would remain elusive as long as
“American militarism and interventionism persist,” while also criticizing US
support for Israel and accusing it of contributing to regional conflicts. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a
significant share of global oil and gas shipments pass, remains a critical
maritime chokepoint. Any proposal to impose transit fees on commercial shipping
could have far-reaching implications for global trade, energy markets and
international shipping operations.