Seoul: President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will impose a 20 percent fee on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, asserting the country's role as the "guardian" of this crucial waterway.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump revealed through a social media post that the U.S. is also reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports, a move that comes weeks after it was lifted. This decision is a response to ongoing disruptions in commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for oil, natural gas, and other commodities, amidst the escalating Middle East conflict.

In his statement on Truth Social, Trump declared, "The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran's ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait." He emphasized that the U.S. will henceforth be known as "THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and will be reimbursed at a rate of 20 percent on all cargo shipped for providing safety and security in this volatile region. Trump stated that this process will commence "immediately."

The specifics of whether the 20-percent charge applies to the value of the cargo or is based on the costs to ensure safe passage remain unclear, with the White House yet to provide clarification. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces would resume the blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday (Washington time).

CENTCOM confirmed in a statement on its X account, "CENTCOM forces will enforce the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas." It assured that the U.S. military would continue to support the flow of traffic through regional waters for all vessels not breaching the blockade.

The blockade's reimplementation follows an initial period from April 13 to June 18, during which U.S. forces redirected over 140 compliant vessels, disabled nine non-compliant ships, and facilitated the passage of more than 50 commercial vessels supporting humanitarian aid, CENTCOM reported.

Countries like South Korea, heavily reliant on the strait for energy imports, are closely monitoring these developments. The strait was nearly closed by Iran during the ongoing conflict, escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, who have exchanged strikes over alleged Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the area. This tit-for-tat exchange has raised concerns of a potential escalation to full-scale war.

In a separate interview with Fox News earlier in the day, Trump reiterated the U.S.'s intention to "keep" and "run" the strait, affirming that the nation should receive compensation for its control over the waterway. "We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it," he said. "We'll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that."