US President Donald Trump has suggested the United States would likely take over the Strait of Hormuz to protect the oil supply chokepoint from Iran.
Speaking in a phone interview on Fox News’ Fox & Friends on Monday, Trump said the US would assume responsibility for protecting the oil shipping route after Iran announced the closure of the waterway on Saturday following what it described as an unauthorised transit.
“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,” President Trump was quoted as saying.
Trump also revealed the US would charge tolls from 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.
Iran on Sunday revealed that shipping through the strait would remain suspended until “stability and calm” were restored with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards saying the only way to restore normal shipping through the strait was for the United States to end its military operations in the waterway.
