US President Donald Trump on Sunday (June 21) said that he had held overnight talks with Iranian officials and warned Tehran against any move to disrupt shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, cautioning that any attempt to block the waterway would trigger severe consequences.
‘Won’t even make it back to your f***ing country’: Trump
In a direct warning over potential maritime disruption, the US President indicated that Washington would respond with overwhelming force to any blockade of the vital shipping lane. “You close it, and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your f***ng country,” Trump told Fox News.
The US President also suggested that Washington could assume direct operational control to secure the global shipping corridor and potentially levy transit fees on oil shipments navigating the waters. “We may take over the Strait if we have to. I’ll blow the sh*t out of them,” he said.
Warning of economic measures if diplomatic discussions stall, the Republican leader added, “If they don’t make a deal, we’ll collect tolls.”
Earlier, Trump warned that the US could impose its own tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz if a final peace agreement with Iran is not reached within 60 days. He said no tolls would be charged during the 60-day ceasefire period, but suggested that Washington could levy fees afterward should negotiations fail.ย
Trump described any potential charges as compensation for the services provided by the US military, which he characterised as a “Guardian Angel” safeguarding countries across West Asia.
The US President’s sharp remarks followed statements from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who reiterated that Tehran would not relinquish its right to enrich uranium, asserting that the United States “will have no choice but to accept this right”.
Will take over rest of Iran: Trump
Reacting to the Iranian leader’s stance, Trump cautioned Tehran against confrontational rhetoric, telling Fox News, “He better watch his mouth. He better shape up, or we will take over the rest of the country.”
The US President further noted that Washington maintains multiple strategic alternatives should Iran fail to deliver substantive commitments towards a comprehensive pact.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance said that there is significant progress in the relationship between Washington and Tehran during the talks in Switzerland. Vance said that discussions had yielded positive responses on several fronts amid major disagreements over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.
The talks between the United States and Iran, with the mediation of Qatar and Pakistan, have been kicked off in Switzerland, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday. In a post on X, Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar said, “The State of Qatar announces, in its capacity as a mediator, the launch of the Lake Lucerne Summit and the first meeting of a high-level committee bringing together representatives of the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the two mediating states, the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, hoping that the meetings would lead to a comprehensive and lasting agreement addressing all issues covered by the memorandum of understanding.”ย
Also Read:ย ‘We made great progress:’ JD Vance after high-level talks with Iran in Switzerland
Also Read:ย ย ‘Stop your proxies in Lebanon else…’: Trump threatens Iran again over Hezbollah