The Middle East is once again teetering on the brink of broader conflict, as the de facto ceasefire between the United States and Iran appears to have collapsed. Fresh U.S. military strikes, Iranian retaliatory actions, and increasingly confrontational rhetoric from both sides have created a volatile situation—with the Strait of Hormuz once again at the center of geopolitical friction and international concern.
Iran Rejects U.S. Role in Hormuz Management
On Monday, July 13, 2026, Iran’s Joint Staff Command—known as the Central Command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the country’s highest military authority—issued a stark warning: Tehran will not allow the United States to intervene in managing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. In an official statement broadcast by state media, the command declared that any attempt by U.S. forces to organize or regulate vessel passage outside routes designated by Iran—and without coordination with Iranian armed forces—would face “firm resistance.”
Iranian state outlets also released footage of fuel-loaded ballistic missiles reportedly launched during Tehran’s retaliatory operations against U.S. military bases following Washington’s recent strike inside Iranian territory.
Trump Proposes U.S. Control—and Payment
Earlier, former U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News in a phone interview that the United States would likely assume control of the Strait of Hormuz and should be compensated for doing so.
“We’ll hold the strait—and probably manage it. We’ll be the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call ourselves the ‘guardian angel’ of the strait. And we should be paid for it,” Trump said.
The Strait of Hormuz—a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman—is one of the world’s most critical oil transit corridors. Its control has become a central flashpoint in the escalating U.S.-Iran confrontation. Iran’s effective closure of the strait has already driven up global energy prices and stoked fears of inflation worldwide.
“We’ll guard it. We’ll get paid to guard it—lots of money,” Trump added. “They’re back at their old business trying to take over the Strait… We’re taking over the Strait. They have nothing… yesterday, they had an 11-hour meeting… and everything was agreed to yesterday, and they leave the room, and they call back and they…”
He emphasized that compensation is justified because “other countries are very wealthy. They’re on our side—and it can’t be expected that we do this for free.”
Iran Maintains Closure, Cites Need for Stability
After announcing the suspension of maritime traffic through the strait on Saturday, July 11, 2026—citing an unauthorized vessel passage—Tehran confirmed on Sunday that the closure remains in effect. Iranian authorities stated that commercial transit would resume only after “stability and calm” are restored.
“We had an agreement. It was an agreement that had been reached—and then…” the statement concluded, leaving the sentence unfinished.