Iran Claims Strait of Hormuz Closure as US Denies Shutdown and Threatens Tolls Ahead of Swiss Talks

The fragile 14-point memorandum of understanding designed to end the 2026 US-Iran war is facing its first existential crisis. Less than a week after the agreement was signed, the strategic Strait of Hormuz has once again become the flashpoint for a rapidly escalating geopolitical standoff.[1][4]

On Saturday, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced that it was closing the vital waterway to all vessel traffic. The military command framed the closure as a "first step" in retaliating against what it described as severe breaches of the recent ceasefire agreement.[6][8]

The primary trigger for Tehran's anger stems from the Levant. Iranian officials cited continued Israeli military strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, arguing that Israel's failure to withdraw from Lebanese territory violates the core tenets of the US-brokered truce.[4][8]

However, the reality on the water remains fiercely contested. The United States military swiftly denied that the strait had been shuttered. US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a statement asserting that "Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz" and that American forces are actively monitoring the corridor to ensure freedom of navigation.[6][7]

According to CENTCOM data released Saturday, commercial traffic actually rose, with 55 merchant ships transiting the strait. The military reported that these vessels safely moved more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets, directly contradicting Tehran's closure claims.[4][7]

US Vice President JD Vance echoed these military assessments during a Saturday morning television appearance. Vance stated that the administration was "not seeing any evidence" of a shutdown, suggesting instead that Iran might simply be warning ships away from uncleared naval minefields laid during the height of the conflict.[3][6]

The dispute over the physical status of the strait is unfolding alongside an unprecedented economic threat from Washington. On Saturday, President Donald Trump took to social media to warn that the United States might begin collecting its own tolls for passage through the waterway.[2][5]

Trump stated that travel through the strait would remain toll-free during the 60-day negotiation period established by the memorandum. However, he warned that if a final peace deal is not reached, tolls could be imposed "by and for the United States of America" as compensation for acting as the region's "Guardian Angel."[5][7]

The threat of US-imposed tolls introduces a radical new variable into international maritime law. It remains entirely unclear how the US Navy would enforce a toll collection system in a waterway bordered by Iran and Oman, or how global shipping conglomerates and insurance markets would respond to such a mandate.[5]

This escalating war of words serves as a volatile backdrop for high-stakes diplomatic negotiations set to begin in Switzerland. Despite the threats of closures and tolls, delegations from both Washington and Tehran are converging on the Bürgenstock resort to hammer out the technical details of a permanent peace and nuclear agreement.[1][6]

The US delegation features heavy hitters from the Trump administration's inner circle. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have already arrived in Europe. Vice President Vance confirmed he expects to join them in the coming days, navigating what he called a "delicate coordination dance."[1][3]

The Iranian delegation is equally high-level, reportedly including parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and senior officials from the country's central bank and oil ministries. Their presence underscores Tehran's desperate need to secure the unfreezing of its assets and the lifting of the US naval blockade.[7]

The negotiations are being heavily mediated by third parties, primarily Pakistan and Qatar. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are playing central roles in facilitating the technical-level talks, attempting to bridge the massive trust deficit between the two adversaries.[6][7]

The stakes for these talks could not be higher. Prior to the outbreak of the war in February 2026, the Strait of Hormuz facilitated the transit of roughly 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade and 20% of its liquefied natural gas. The complete closure of the strait earlier in the spring sent shockwaves through global financial markets.[4]

If the Switzerland talks collapse—or if the current dispute over Israeli actions in Lebanon spirals out of control—the world faces the immediate prospect of a renewed dual blockade. During the peak of the conflict, the US Navy blockaded Iranian ports while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mined the strait, effectively choking off the Persian Gulf.[4]

For now, the global economy is holding its breath. Commodity tracking firms like Kpler confirmed that dozens of ships were still crossing the strait on Saturday, aligning with CENTCOM's narrative that oil is still flowing. But with both sides publicly threatening to weaponize the waterway, the 60-day window for peace is already closing fast.[3][4]