US President Donald Trump has stated that the US would most certainly take over the Strait of Hormuz and should be rewarded for guarding the crucial waterway amidst growing tensions with Iran.
During a phone interview with Fox News’ Fox & Friends on Monday, Trump stated that the United States will take responsibility for defending one of the world’s most critical oil transportation lanes.
“We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it. We’ll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that,” Reuters quoted him to have said.
Trump also stated that Washington should be paid by countries that benefit from the waterway’s security.
“We’re going to guard it. We’re going to get paid for guarding it—a lot of money.
“We’re going to be reimbursed because the other nations are very wealthy. They’re on our side, and we can’t be expected to do that for nothing,” he said.
The US president’s comments come as the Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.
Iran ordered the closing of the waterway on Saturday, citing an unauthorized passage, and stated on Sunday that shipping would be banned until “stability and calm” were restored.
Trump accused Iran of violating past deals.
“We had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it. They always break it. We’ve had 10 deals with these people, and so we’re just going to hit them very hard,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stated that the only option to restore normal transportation via the strait was for the US to cease its military actions in the waterway.
The organization warned that “continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector.”
The current exchange comes after significant missile and drone assaults by US and Iranian troops over the weekend and into Monday.
Tehran said it had targeted US military sites in the Gulf while continuing its shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, which has driven global oil prices higher.
The escalating confrontations call into question a temporary US-Iran deal agreed last month to reopen the strait and stop military action while both sides conducted additional discussions.
