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US military says traffic still flowing through Strait of Hormuz after Iran pledges to shut vital waterway
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US president Donald Trump has threatened to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz if the deal with Iran is not completed.
His comments, posted to social media platform Truth Social on Saturday evening, came after Iran said it would close the crucial waterway to tankers, citing alleged violations of the ceasefire by the US and Israel.
The US military had said that traffic continued to flow through the Strait and the US is monitoring the situation to ensure that continues.
But Mr Trump took to social media to insist that there should be no tolls during the cease fire period “unless they are imposed by and for” the US “for services rendered as the Guardian Angel” to the Middle East.
Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said earlier on Saturday that the closure was the “first step” in response to what it described as breaches of commitments.
It warned further measures would be taken if the “aggression” continued.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday after accusing the US and Israel of violating the newly-signed peace deal.
The top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said that the closure was the “first step” in response to what it described as breaches of commitments to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Donald Trump on Wednesday.
US officials have denied that Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, which Iranian military insists the passage will be closed in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
US Central Command said 55 merchant ships passed through the waterway on Saturday.
“Safe passage through the international waterway remained intact today as 55 merchant ships transited, moving large amounts of cargo and more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets,” according to a statement.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivered a sharp rebuke to President Donald Trump and attacked his popularity on Saturday, intensifying an ongoing feud that erupted during the G7 Summit.
US Vice President JD Vance is on his way to Switzerland where he expects to spend “a day or two.”
“I think we’re going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue,” he told reporters before boarding a small jet bound for Switzerland
“Those are the two big things that I think we’re to be focused on. I’m sure the Iranians are going to have issues they’d like to discuss as well,” he added.
He claimed “things are actually getting better” and “slowing down” when it comes to Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. “The big problem is that you have somebody will shoot and then somebody will respond, and you kind of have a chicken and egg problem where you’ve just got to stop the shooting for long enough to get the ceasefire to keep hold, that’s what we’re going to try to do,” he said.
Iran’s negotiating delegation has arrived in Switzerland for talks with the US, the country’s media has reported.
US vice president JD Vance has said that he may be able to get to the European country for a day or two as the countries iron out the details of the peace deal. US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are already there.
The US and Iran had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire while negotiations take place.
Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Saturday declared the Strait of Hormuz shut, appearing to raise the stakes ahead of the talks as both sides seek to advance an interim deal brokered by Pakistan and signed on Wednesday by US.
US president Donald Trump has taken to social media platform Truth Social to insist that there will be no tolls on the Strait of Hormuz unless they are imposed by America, after Iran claimed they would close the crucial waterway to tankers.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday evening, Mr Trump said: “There will be NO TOLLS in the Hormuz Strait for 60 days during the cease fire period, and there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired, unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed, for services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for the purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter!!! President DJT”.
Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least 20 people on Saturday, according to Lebanon’s state news agency.
Israel said the strikes were a response to projectiles fired overnight by Hezbollah. An Israeli military official said Hezbollah launched more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, prompting attacks on what the official described as “Hezbollah targets”. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes and drones had struck multiple locations in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah accused Israel of committing hundreds of ceasefire violations, and warned that continued attacks “will not pass without a response”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told US President Donald Trump on Saturday to look after his own popularity after he accused his NATO ally of trying to boost her domestic ratings by repairing ties with Washington.
Mr Trump had alleged that Ms Meloni had “begged” him for a photo with her during this week’s Group of Seven summit in France. He repeated the assertion on Saturday, misspelling her name as “Gigiorgia” as he posted on his Truth Social platform that “she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up'”.
Ms Meloni responded, posting on Instagram in English: “President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless.”
“My popularity is none of your concern,” she added. “I suggest you focus on yours.”
Ms Meloni’s government, which took office in 2022, has seen public approval rise in opinion surveys to around 35 per cent after a steady decline in 2025.
Italys first female prime minister told Mr Trump on Saturday that being his friend has certainly not helped her popularity. Mr Trump repeated earlier criticism of Rome for not allowing the use of US military bases in Italy during the war with Iran that the US and Israel began at the end of February.
Ms Meloni responded: “Their use is governed by agreements that we have always respected and that cannot be violated. As long as I am prime minister, Italy remains a sovereign nation.”
US vice president JD Vance has indicated that he will set off soon for meetings with the Iranians.
Mr Vance, in an interview with Fox News, said he was confident the ceasefire agreed in Washington’s 14-point deal with Tehran would hold, and that he had seen no evidence that the strait was closed. “I expect that I will leave sometime in the next couple of days, but you know it’s always a delicate coordination dance and the diplomatic protocols,” Mr Vance said.
He added that US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff had been in Switzerland “for a few hours, dealing “with some of the technical elements of this negotiation”. “My understanding, talking to Jared and Steve this morning, is things are going well,” he added.
The Iranian delegation have set off for talks in Switzerland, according to Iran’s state media.
An Iranian team have departed for Switzerland for talks with the United States, Iranian state media have reported.
The Iranian delegation is being led by chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and included foreign minister Abbas Araqchi as well as senior security, central ban and oil officials, Iranian media said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran would press in Switzerland for a fulfilment of commitments, citing past failures by the other side to honour agreements.
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