Trump threatens Strait of Hormuz tolls as Iran closes waterway on eve of Switzerland peace talks

Negotiations begin under a cloud

Talks between the United States and Iran, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, started on Sunday at the Buergenstock resort in Switzerland. Vice-president JD Vance leads the American delegation, while Iran's team includes parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. The discussions are meant to implement an interim memorandum signed a week earlier, which unblocks Iranian assets and sets a 60-day ceasefire. Hanging over the gathering are fresh threats from both sides over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran announces strait closure

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz is shut to all traffic, blaming continued Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and what it called US failure to uphold commitments. The statement by the Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Command warned ships they risk passing through.

Given the bad faith of the United States and its clear violation of commitments by not respecting the first article of the memorandum of agreement to end the war, and in response to the continuous and repeated violation of the ceasefire by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon … the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to ship traffic is announced.

The US immediately contested the claim. Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesman for US Central Command, said 55 commercial vessels carrying over 17 million barrels of oil had passed through the strait on Saturday alone.

Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic continues to take place, and American forces are monitoring the situation to ensure it stays that way.

Trump’s toll threat

Reacting on Truth Social, Donald Trump threatened to impose transit fees on the strait if no final nuclear accord is concluded within the 60‑day window. He framed the charges as payment for America’s role as the region’s “Guardian Angel.”

There will be NO TRANSIT FEE in the Strait of Hormuz during the 60-day ceasefire period, and there will be NO fee after the expiration of the 60-day period, unless it is imposed by the United States of America, if no agreement is reached, for services rendered as the Guardian Angel of the Middle Eastern countries and for the purpose of reimbursing past, present and future costs.

The threat came shortly after Iran’s closure announcement and just as negotiators were arriving. Pakistan is the lead mediator, with Qatar also participating. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei warned that failure to meet key commitments would jeopardise the entire memorandum.

Air travel disrupted in Zurich

The last‑minute decision to hold talks at Buergenstock forced Swiss air traffic control to integrate a restricted air zone late, disrupting operations at Zurich airport. By midday Sunday, 12 arrivals and 14 departures had been cancelled, and at least 60 flights were delayed.

Operations have returned to normal, systems are now running smoothly, and air traffic safety was maintained at all times.

What comes next

The plan envisages 60 days of talks on limiting Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. IAEA director Rafael Grossi is mentioned as a possible technical verifier for any deal. The outcome is tightly linked to the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon, which Iran says must hold and be accompanied by economic concessions before progress can happen.