Iran rejects Trump threat, announces new rules for Strait of Hormuz

Iran rejected a warning from US President Donald Trump and announced new regulations for the Strait of Hormuz.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on its official X (formerly Twitter) account that it is ready to implement a “new order,” including transit fees on foreign vessels passing through the strait.

The IRGC emphasised that the waterway will not return to its previous status, particularly for US and Israeli ships.

Iran’s parliament has also passed legislation allowing tolls on certain foreign vessels and imposing a complete ban on US and Israeli naval passage.

Shipping analysts, including Lloyd’s List, report that some vessels are already paying in Chinese yuan or Iranian rial to transit the strait.

Earlier, on Sunday, Trump issued a stark warning on X, threatening attacks on Iranian power plants, bridges, and other critical infrastructure if the strait is not reopened within a specified timeframe, saying Iran should prepare to “face hell” if it does not comply.

Analysts warn the standoff could trigger major regional instability. Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said Tehran views control over the Strait of Hormuz as more potent than its nuclear arsenal, describing it as capable of “widespread disruption.”

The strait’s narrowest point is just 21 miles wide, with an effective shipping channel of about two miles, making even minor tensions a potential threat to global energy supplies.