Trump announces renewed naval blockade against Iranian ports and 20 percent fee on Hormuz passage

The background is an agreement between the US and Iran in which Tehran had pledged to use its „best efforts" to ensure safe and fee-free passage of commercial vessels through the waterway for 60 days. This arrangement, which had been concluded as a framework agreement in early March in the course of the American-Israeli attacks on Iran, had actually envisaged the lifting of the naval blockade.

Background: The March Framework Agreement

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard had announced over the weekend that the waterway would remain closed until further notice. According to data from the provider Kpler, only 14 ships passed through the waterway on Sunday – the lowest figure this month. Before the war began, more than 100 ships transited the Strait of Hormus on average per day.

The report was broadcast on July 13, 2026 on the program Deutschlandfunk. ZDFheute live also reported on the same day on the unclear conditions in the waterway, on renewed US strikes on dozens of targets in Iran, and on growing doubts about a possible nuclear deal.

Security expert Klemens Fischer analyzed that the American airstrikes had not been sufficient to force Iran „to its knees." As a result, the strategic situation in the region remains tense, even though individual diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran have existed.

Military Situation and Analysis

The Greens politician Omid Nouripour stated on ZDF that the back-and-forth in the Iran conflict could continue for months. The latest escalation also raises questions about the reliability of the agreements reached so far, given that Iran had previously used threats and attacks on shipping traffic to exert pressure.

Trump had previously made similar maximalist demands in the summer of 2025, at that time still in his first term of office. With the now-announced fee and the renewed blockade, the situation escalates further. Observers see this as an attempt to put Tehran under greater economic and military pressure while simultaneously securing control over one of the world's most important trade routes.

Impact on Global Trade

The Strait of Hormus is considered one of the central routes for global oil and liquefied gas transport. Should the blockade be maintained over the longer term, market participants expect rising energy prices and noticeable effects on the global economy. The US invokes the argument that the 20 percent levy finances the security of passage, which is met with legal and political concerns among allies.

The US government under Secretary of State Marco Rubio presents the measure as a necessary protection of international shipping. It initially remained unclear whether the new fee would be levied on cargoes already under contract and how shipping companies from third states would react.

International reactions are expected in the coming days. The EU, China, and the Gulf states are watching developments with concern, as a large share of their energy imports passes through the waterway. Should Trump implement his threat, a further deterioration of the already strained relationship between Washington and Tehran looms.