WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he has been assured by Iran that no fees will be collected from ships in the Strait of Hormuz, as negotiations continue to secure a lasting end to the war in the Middle East.
"Iran has informed the U.S. that... there are 'NO TOLLS, NO INSURANCE COSTS, & NO OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND BEING SOUGHT OR RECEIVED BY IRAN ON SHIPS TRAVELING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ'," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, without specifying whether those assurances would remain in place after the 60-day negotiating period.
Tehran has repeatedly said it plans to charge what it calls maritime service fees for crossing the strait, as opposed to tolls, a plan fiercely opposed by the United States.
Iran and Oman said Tuesday they will study the costs to be charged for services provided in administering the Strait of Hormuz, insisting they held sovereignty over the waterway.
This comes after Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the head of the Iranian negotiating team said that the deal between Iran and the United States to end the West Asia war is "America's declaration of defeat".
"The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation," Ghalibaf said at a conference in Azerbaijan broadcast on Iranian television.
"That is why, the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding became a declaration of America's defeat," he said, adding that security in the West Asia must be ensured by the countries of the region.
Pakistan says U.S.-Iran technical talks to resume next week.