Trump threatens to end talks if Iran charges ships in Hormuz, Iran slams U.S. for contradicting MoU text

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran had assured Washington it is not seeking tolls, insurance fees, or other charges from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, warning that negotiations between the two sides would end immediately if the information proved false.

"Iran has informed the U.S. that, despite troublemaking Fake News reporting to the contrary, there are 'NO TOLLS, NO INSURANCE COSTS, and NO OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND BEING SOUGHT OR RECEIVED BY IRAN ON SHIPS TRAVELING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ,'" Trump wrote on his Truth Social.

"If this is false information, negotiations would end, immediately!" Trump warned.

Trump also dismissed speculation that Washington had released money directly to Tehran.

"Additionally, no money has been given to Iran, or released from their money to them, by the U.S.," Trump wrote.

However, the president said the White House could release a portion of Iranian assets under U.S. control for the purchase of agricultural products, including corn, wheat and soybeans, only from American farmers.

"We will be releasing some of their money, that is totally controlled by us, to our Farmers and Ranchers, for the purchase of Corn, Wheat, Soybeans, and more," Trump said, adding "we will be purchasing it for them exclusively from the United States."

Trump's remarks came one day after Iran and Oman issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and agreeing to continue their discussions to reach an understanding on the future management of navigation in the strait and the related charging service "costs."

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported Tuesday that only a limited number of vessels are allowed to pass through the strait each day based on coordination with the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps.

According to Fars, the strait had been closed for days following Israel's "hostile" actions against Lebanon and the U.S. "violations" of its commitments under the recently signed U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU), which led to a 60-day roadmap toward a final peace agreement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Wednesday called on the U.S. government to refrain from making interpretations that are "completely in contradiction" with the MoU.

He made the remarks in a post on the social media platform X, slamming "contradictory" statements made by U.S. officials regarding the MoU's provisions.

He said the remarks on ending the war will not help reduce Iranians' "accumulated distrust" and will merely serve as a reminder of past breaches of promises.

Baghaei emphasized that the U.S. government has never shown any sincerity in its conduct toward the Iranian nation, adding that, despite having reason to distrust it, Iran entered the diplomatic process with the United States in good faith and signed the MoU.

Iranians know that the "enemy's" animosity will not end by signing an MoU, bearing in mind the experiences of the past five decades, especially the developments of the preceding 18 months, he said.

On June 18, Iran and the United States signed the MoU to end the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Under the MoU, the two countries agreed to 60 days of negotiations, which are already underway, toward a final agreement mainly on Iran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions against the country.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that U.S.-Iran technical talks are expected to resume next week, likely on June 29 or 30 in Switzerland.

On Sunday, Iranian and U.S. delegations held high-level consultations on the implementation of the MoU in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar. Technical talks followed on Monday.

Trump threatens to end talks if Iran charges ships in Hormuz, Iran slams U.S. for contradicting MoU text

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Wednesday released the operational details of a large-scale evacuation plan for seafarers stranded around the Strait of Hormuz, as the closure of the strait has left around 1,200 cargo ships stranded with goods worth 125 billion U.S. dollars.

According to the IMO, more than 11,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf region.

Under the plan, vessels are required to remain in their current positions and await instructions rather than moving independently toward the strait or designated waiting areas. The organization said the measure is intended to prevent congestion and reduce risks associated with mines and degraded navigation conditions.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Center and the Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness Center will contact vessels directly, and instruct them to proceed to designated waiting areas.

After conducting their own independent risk assessment, vessels are free to choose either the southern or northern route to leave the Strait, according to the IMO.

The evacuation scheme establishes two temporary transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz. One runs through Iranian waters, while the other passes through waters coordinated by Oman and the United States.

The IMO said traffic management and navigational coordination would be handled by coastal states, while the UN agency oversees the overall framework and phased implementation.

Meanwhile, insurance firm Allianz Commercial on Wednesday published its Safety and Shipping Review for 2026, highlighting that the conflict in the Middle East paralyzed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil trade route.

As of June 15, around 1,150 cargo-carrying ships with an estimated vessel and cargo value of 125 billion U.S. dollars were operating within Gulf waters after the closure of the Hormuz Strait, the report said.

Marine insurers have supported the shipping industry throughout the conflict with continuity of insurance cover, albeit at increased hull and cargo premiums. However, for shipowners, the issue has been more about the risk to the crew and the vessel of transiting a conflict zone, rather than insurance considerations, according to the report.

Even if the relevant ceasefire can be maintained and lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, it will still take time for shipping operations to return to normal, the report said.

Thomas Lillelund, CEO of Allianz Commercial, said the shipping industry is transitioning toward a new equilibrium defined by higher volatility and uncertainty, which will necessitate a greater strategic emphasis on resilience over pure cost efficiency.

Strait of Hormuz evacuation plan detailed as 1,200 cargo ships stranded