Iran ceasefire in danger: tensions in the Strait of Hormuz escalate
The fragile Iranian ceasefire is threatened by escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route. President Donald Trump is warning of possible military action until a “REAL DEAL” is reached. Vice President Vance and other experts discuss Iran’s demands for tolls, strategic islands and growing cyber threats to U.S. infrastructure. Global oil prices and shipping traffic are being closely watched amid the uncertainty.
The United Nations Shipping Agency warned Thursday that imposing tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz would “set a dangerous precedent.”
The comment comes after President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that there may be a US-Iranian toll system for ships passing through the key waterway. Trump told ABC News, “We’re thinking about doing it as a joint venture,” and, “It’s a way to secure it — and secure it from a lot of other people.”
“There is no international agreement that would allow for the introduction of tolls for crossing international straits. Such a toll would set a dangerous precedent,” a spokesperson for the UN’s International Maritime Organization said. told Reuters on Thursday.
The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, carrying about 20 million barrels of oil per day, along with about a fifth of the world’s liquid natural gas.
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A ship is seen transiting the Strait of Hormuz during a two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8, 2026. (Shady Alassar/Anadolu/Getty Images)
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also warned on Wednesday that a reported Iranian plan to tax ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely unacceptable”.
“I don’t think the international community would be willing to accept Iran setting up a toll booth for every ship crossing the strait,” Mitsotakis, who represents the world’s largest shipping power, told CNN.
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“This agreement cannot, I repeat, include some kind of fee that ships have to pay every time they cross the strait,” he continued. “This was not the case before the war started and it cannot be the case after the war ends.”
The Trump administration reached a ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday.
The Callisto tanker sits at anchor as traffic is stalled in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 10, 2026. (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)
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“The United States of America will help build traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. There will be a lot of positive action! A lot of money will be made. Iran can start the rebuilding process,” Trump wrote in Truth Social on Wednesday morning. “We’ll be loading up on all kinds of supplies and just hanging out to make sure everything goes well. I’m confident that will happen.”
