By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will reinstate a naval blockade on Iran while declaring that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open under US control, with Washington assuming what he described as the role of its "guardian."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the blockade would apply to Iranian vessels and their customers, preventing them from entering or leaving Iranian ports, while allowing all other countries unrestricted access to the strategic waterway.

He also announced that the United States would henceforth be known as "THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and proposed imposing a 20% reimbursement fee on cargo transiting the strait to cover what he described as security and protection costs. Trump said the policy would take effect immediately.

Earlier on Monday, Trump told Fox News that Washington would "probably" take over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the United States should be compensated for securing one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.

"We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the strait," Trump said, adding that other countries benefiting from the route are wealthy and should pay for its protection.

He later reiterated the proposal, stating, "We're taking over the Strait. They have nothing. They've got nothing," referring to Iran.

Trump also blamed Tehran for the collapse of the Islamabad Memorandum, the ceasefire framework signed in mid-June that was intended to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping during a 60-day negotiating period.

Iran has maintained the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since announcing the measure on Saturday, arguing that unauthorized vessel movements violated the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Tehran stated on Sunday that commercial navigation through the strategic waterway would resume once "stability and calm" are restored.