U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran should "stop immediately" if reports are true that it is charging fees on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
"There are reports that Iran is charging fees on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday (local time). "If so, it would be better to stop immediately!"
In a separate post, he emphasized, "Iran is doing a very poor job of allowing oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. That is not the deal we signed!"
Trump also responded to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece claiming he had declared a premature victory. "Not premature. Thanks to me, Iran will never possess nuclear weapons," he wrote. He added, "With or without Iran, you will see oil flowing very quickly," signaling his intention to normalize oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times had reported a day earlier that Iran plans to restrict vessel traffic and impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz during a two-week ceasefire period.
In response, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei announced in a statement on Friday that Iran would "elevate the level of management and control of the Strait of Hormuz to a new dimension." In the statement marking the 40th day since the death of his father, Ayatollah Khamenei, he emphasized, "We will not stand by while aggressors act, and we will demand compensation for damages and payment for the blood of martyrs."
Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains extremely limited compared to normal levels. According to Reuters, only seven ships passed through the strait in the past 24 hours—one oil tanker and six cargo vessels.
Some positive news emerged regarding Lebanon, which had been considered a stumbling block in negotiations. In an NBC interview, Trump said he was "very optimistic" about ceasefire talks with Iran scheduled for Sunday in Pakistan. "Iranian leaders speak very differently at the negotiating table than what they say to the media. They are much more reasonable," he said.
Regarding Lebanon, Trump said he "spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the day before," adding, "He will exercise restraint on attacks on Lebanon. I think we need to show more restraint." He also noted that "Israel is scaling back its operations in Lebanon."
In response, Netanyahu stated that he would begin direct negotiations with the Lebanese government for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon. However, in a message to residents of northern Israel, he emphasized, "There is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We will continue our full-scale offensive against Hezbollah and will not stop until we restore your security."
