U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated on Sunday, June 2, that if the negotiations between Washington and Tehran fail, the Donald Trump administration will seize control of the Strait of Hormuz using military force.
Speaking to CBS, Graham said, “If this deal fails, Trump will seize the Strait by force. The United States will take control of the strait and will collect transit tariffs from the ships passing through it.”
The American senator’s remarks came hours after Trump also spoke on the Truth Social network about the possibility of imposing tariffs on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz should the agreement fall through. Trump announced that no tariffs would be collected during the 60-day negotiation period or upon reaching a final agreement; however, if the talks fail to yield results, the U.S. will charge ships for “services rendered as the guardian angel of Middle Eastern nations.”
Meanwhile, there are no signs of a retreat from Tehran. A military source told the Fars News Agency that as of Sunday noon, the IRGC Navy had not yet issued transit clearance for any vessel through the Strait of Hormuz. Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also warned on Saturday that if Israeli attacks in Lebanon continue, the “entire memorandum of understanding” between Iran and the U.S. will be put at risk.
