Trump reinstating naval blockade of Iranian ports

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Trump reinstating naval blockade of Iranian portsImage source, NurPhoto via Getty ImagesImage caption, President Donald Trump also said the US will impose a 20% charge on all Strait of Hormuz cargoByJaroslav Lukiv and Bernd Debusmann Jr, White House reporterPublished13 July 2026, 17:23 BSTUpdated 1 hour agoPresident Donald Trump has said the US is reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports and will impose a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade would stop "Iran's ships or customers" from entering or leaving the key oil shipping route, but "all other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait", he said in a social media post. Trump insisted the strait "will remain OPEN, with or without Iran".

Iran earlier said it would not allow the US to "interfere" in management of the waterway, which it said was closed. Tehran and Washington clashed over the strait's control on Monday after exchanging another wave of strikes in the region overnight. The US said it carried out strikes against military targets in Iran, targeting air defence systems, coastal radars, and missile and drone sites.

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Iran said it responded by striking US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, and radars in Oman. Follow live updates In Trump's Truth Social post on Monday, he wrote: "The U. 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 US president added that "the process and formation will begin immediately". His comments came shortly after he told Fox News the US would "probably run" the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that Iran "broke" a deal that was made with the US. "We are taking over the strait," he said.

Tehran has not commented on the issue. A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization - the UN agency regulating global shipping - was quoted by news agency as saying that "IMO stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation". "There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait," the spokesperson added.

It adds "we do not and will not allow" the US to control the crucial waterway - and that Iran's armed forces are dealing with any disturbances from the "pirate army" of the US. Any cooperation with the US will be considered an act of "war" against Iran's sovereignty, it adds, warning that if the conflict spreads "the flames of war will engulf all the countries of the region". Before Trump's announcement, Iran's top military headquarters said it would not allow the US to "interfere in the management" of the Strait of Hormuz.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.