Trump says US opposes Strait of Hormuz tolls, vows to get uranium from Iran

“We don’t want tolls. It’s an international waterway. They’re not charging tolls right now,” Trump told the reporters at the White House.

Trump claimed Iran is suffering major financial losses because of restrictions on shipping activity.

Asked whether Iran could retain its stockpile of highly enriched uranium under any future arrangement, Trump answered bluntly.

“No, we get the highly enriched; we will get it,” Trump said. “We don’t need it. We don’t want it. We’ll probably destroy it after we get it, but we’re not going to let them have it.”

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the Strait of Hormuz.