US President Donald Trump on Monday said Washington should take control of the Strait of Hormuz and seek compensation from allies for protecting commercial shipping through the waterway.
“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.
Iran's closure of the strait has disrupted global markets and driven up fuel prices, putting political pressure on Mr Trump, who has sought to keep the US economy strong.
“We're going to guard it. We're going to get paid for guarding it – a lot of money,” Mr Trump 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 later on Monday, Mr Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open, "with or without Iran" and announced the reinstatement of what he called 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 comments came after 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.”
