As part of a two-week ceasefire, Tehran has consented to permit ships to cross the vital 167-kilometer (104-mile) strait between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. However, since the Middle East war ceasefire went into place, only ten ships have travelled through.
Washington
US President Donald Trump has accused Tehran of violating the terms of their two-week ceasefire agreement and cautioned Iran from charging a toll on ships travelling through the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Trump accused Iran of doing a “very poor job” of managing the waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil supply flows and declared that shipping operations will soon return to normal, “with or without” the Islamic Republic, in a flurry of social media posts that stoked new concerns of escalation.Trump stated on his Truth Social platform, “Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonourable, some would say, of allowing oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz.”
“That is not the agreement we have!”
As part of a two-week ceasefire, Tehran had consented to permit ships to cross the vital 167-kilometer strait between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. However, according to marine tracking data, only ten ships have gone by since the Middle East war ceasefire went into effect.
Regarding Hormuz Toll
Even though Trump has made similar comments and even raised the possibility of joint tolls with Tehran, tensions have increased since Iran hinted that it would impose a toll on ships travelling through the waterway.Iran is allegedly charging tankers passing through the Hormuz Strait fees; if this is the case, they should cease immediately. Trump stated in a previous Truth Social post.
Trump added that “very quickly, you’ll see Oil start flowing, with or without the help of Iran” in yet another post in which he lashed out at a critical media editorial on the ceasefire.
Trump’s Tone Has Changed
After earlier remarks to NBC News that he was “very optimistic” about a peace agreement with Iran following their truce and that Israel was “scaling back” strikes in Lebanon, the US leader’s tone seemed to shift dramatically.
Following catastrophic strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly agreed with Trump over the phone to “low-key it” with Lebanon.
Additionally, Trump told the US broadcaster that although Iran’s leaders were “much more reasonable” in private, “if they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be very painful.”
US-Iran Discussions
On Saturday, Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to meet with Iran in Pakistan. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and special envoy Steve Witkoff are also on their way to Islamabad.In a statement to AFP on Thursday, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said, “The president is optimistic that a deal can be reached that can lead to lasting peace in the Middle East.”
Meanwhile, a State Department official announced on Thursday that negotiations between Israel and Lebanon will take place in Washington next week.
Less than 48 hours after it went into effect, the tense truce between Washington and Tehran was shaken by Israel’s most intense strikes on Lebanon since Hezbollah joined the Middle East conflict in early March, which killed hundreds on Wednesday.
