Key Facts

• President Trump declared the US will block Iranian ships from entering or leaving ports and impose a 20% fee on all cargo through the Strait of Hormuz.
• The US says it will keep the strait open for all other countries besides Iran.
• Iran rejects US control over the strait and warns any cooperation with the US is an act of war.
• The Strait of Hormuz is crucial for global oil and gas shipping, with about 25% of the world’s oil passing through it.
• The US recently conducted strikes on Iranian military targets; Iran responded with attacks on US bases in nearby countries.
• The International Maritime Organization says charging fees for passage through international straits is illegal.
• The strait lies within territorial waters of Iran and Oman, and international law limits control to 12 nautical miles from coastlines.
• Traffic through the strait remains limited, with ongoing tensions between the US and Iran over control and security.