US President Donald Trump on Monday launched a new round of strikes against Iran and said Washington should take control of the Strait of Hormuz and seek compensation from allies for protecting commercial shipping there.
“We're just going to hit [Iran] very hard, and we're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it,” Mr Trump told Fox News.
“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,” he added.
Control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil and gas supplies, has become the central sticking point in efforts to end the conflict.
On Monday evening, after Mr Trump's comments, US Central Command said he had ordered a third round of strikes to "impose a heavy cost on Iranian forces".
Iran's effective closure of the strait has disrupted global markets and driven up fuel prices, putting political pressure on Mr Trump.
“We're going to guard it. We're going to get paid for guarding it – a lot of money,” he said. “We're going to be reimbursed, because the other nations are very wealthy. They're on our side, and we can't be expected to do that for nothing.”
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open "with or without Iran" and announced the reinstatement of the "Iranian blockade", which would prevent only Iranian ships and their customers from entering or leaving the waterway.
He repeated that the US would become the "Guardian of the Hormuz Strait" and would be reimbursed 20 per cent on all cargo to cover the cost of securing the shipping lane. "The process and formation will begin immediately," he said.
The UN's shipping agency said it was awaiting more details on the plan. International Maritime Organisation "stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation", a representative said.
Iranian and US forces exchanged missile and drone attacks on Sunday and Monday.
The US military said its latest strikes hit dozens of targets across Iran, including air defence systems, coastal radar sites and missile and drone installations.
Iran responded by attacking US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman, widening the conflict across the region.
The latest escalation has further dimmed hopes of a lasting settlement, despite a framework agreement signed in June that was intended to secure a 60-day ceasefire while officials negotiated a lasting peace.
“We had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it,” Mr Trump said during the Fox News interview. “They always break it. We've had 10 deals with these people, and so we're just going to hit them very hard.”
Mr Trump has struggled to end the war, which the US started alongside Israel, on terms favourable to America.
Iran has sought to strengthen its negotiating position by effectively choking off the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting the global economy.
Tehran on Saturday announced its closure after what it called an unauthorised transit. On Sunday it said the passage remained suspended, but analysts said some ships could still use the southern route that passes through Omani waters.
"Yeah, it's open," Mr Trump said on Sunday.
America resumed strikes on Iran last week and he declared the ceasefire over after attacks on commercial shipping in the strait that he blamed on Tehran.
The renewed conflict carries domestic political risks for Mr Trump. With midterm elections approaching in November and control of the Senate at stake, polls show the war and his handling of it have proved unpopular with many Americans, who were already grappling with economic pressures before the fighting began.
Regional mediators, including Qatar and Pakistan, worked over the weekend to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
Mr Trump has said negotiations with Iran could continue, but has expressed little confidence that they would succeed.
US aims in the war were initially focused on dismantling Iran's nuclear programme, degrading its missile capabilities and bringing about the fall of the regime.
But now the reopening and control of the waterway have become the fundamental issues in ending the conflict.
