US President Donald Trump has announced that he has abandoned the imposition of a 20% tariff on maritime transport in the Strait of Hormuz, replacing this measure with new investment and economic cooperation agreements with Gulf countries.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that the decision came after talks with leaders of Middle Eastern countries, while emphasizing that economic relations between the US and its allies in the region will be strengthened.
According to the US president, instead of the controversial tariff on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf countries will continue with major trade deals and investments in the US economy.
Trump claimed that these investments would bring capital, factories and industrial equipment to the United States, creating millions of new high-paying jobs for Americans. In his response, Trump also praised the role of the US military in the region, citing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kaine and the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper.
According to him, the American military presence guarantees that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open to international shipping. However, the American president made it clear that this will not apply to Iran. He stated that Washington is continuing a complete blockade that affects ships departing from or arriving in Iranian ports, as well as those carrying Iranian goods.
Trump justified this measure as a way of putting pressure on Tehran, accusing the Iranian leadership of violence and policies that, according to him, have led the country towards isolation and crisis.
The issue of the Strait of Hormuz has become a key point of tension between the US and Iran, as this strategic corridor is one of the most important routes in the world for transporting oil.
At the end of his statement, Trump reiterated the position that Iran will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, calling this one of the main objectives of American policy towards Tehran.
