Why Trump Could Not Secure The Strait Of Hormuz Despite A Deal With Iran
Why Trump Could Not Secure The Strait Of Hormuz Despite A Deal With Iran Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 09:00 IST The US-Iran
Why Trump Could Not Secure The Strait Of Hormuz Despite A Deal With Iran Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 09:00 IST The US-Iran MoU briefly restored traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, but its wording left Tehran with the power to disrupt shipping and dictate where vessels could sail. Rapid Read US President Donald Trump. (AFP photo) US President Donald Trump’s attempt to reopen the Strait of Hormuz through an agreement with Iran has collapsed within weeks, reviving attacks on commercial ships, triggering hundreds of American strikes and once again threatening one of the world’s most important energy routes. Iranian forces last week attacked three ships travelling through a southern corridor close to Oman, according to the US military. Trump responded by ordering airstrikes inside Iran. Tehran’s Navy later said it had targeted another vessel and was closing the strait “until the end of US interference in the region." US Central Command said it struck around 140 Iranian military targets in response, taking the number of American strikes over the previous week to 310. Trump has since warned that the June agreement may be “over". The escalation has sent energy prices higher and exposed the central weakness in the memorandum of understanding he signed with Iran on June 14: it did not establish an unconditional right for commercial vessels to use the strait without Iranian interference. Instead, it formalised Iran’s role in deciding how the waterway would operate. What Trump Claimed The Agreement Had Secured Under the June deal, the US agreed to end a military blockade of Iranian ports and allow it to resume oil sales for 60 days. Iran, in return, was expected to facilitate the safe movement of commercial vessels while negotiations continued towards a wider peace agreement. Trump presented it as a breakthrough. “Ships of the World, start your engines," he wrote on social media. “Let the oil flow!" But the agreement did not secure the unrestricted passage his announcement appeared to promise. What The June Agreement Actually Said The 14-point memorandum said Iran would “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels" through the Strait of Hormuz. The phrase “best efforts" immediately raised concerns because it was not a binding guarantee. The agreement did not clearly state which routes ships could use, who would enforce safe passage or what consequences Iran would face if it attacked vessels sailing outside a Tehran-approved corridor. The MOU also prohibited tolls and fees for only 60 days while negotiations towards another agreement continued. It did not permanently dismantle Iran’s system of charging vessels or provide an ironclad assurance that ships could cross any part of the strait safely.
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