An Open Letter: On the Strait of Hormuz and a Hypothetical Toll
To Whom It May Concern at the Department of State, the Pentagon, and various news desks currently framing Iranian maritime activities, Reports circulated recently regarding former President Donald Trump's public admonition to Iran concerning any potential plans to levy tolls on oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Trump stated unequivocally that Tehran "better not be" charging such
fees and, if they were, there would be consequences, a warning issued just a day after he himself had floated the idea of a United States-led "joint venture" to implement similar tolls in the very same strategic waterway. Mainstream narratives, exemplified by outlets like The Hill, present this as a straightforward condemnation of prospective Iranian aggression or economic obstruction, focusing on
the unilateral nature of Iran's alleged intentions. What is routinely omitted from this framing is the remarkable hypocrisy of the position, echoing a historical pattern of selective adherence to international maritime law and economic leverage. While the US routinely cites the principle of freedom of navigation for its own naval deployments globally, the notion of charging for passage through
strategically vital international waters is one that Washington itself has not only considered but has also effectively enforced through various direct and indirect means. The proposal for a US-led toll, even hypothetical, undermines the moral high ground often claimed when criticizing others for similar propositions. Such a move by the US would inevitably be framed as a necessary measure for