Vance says Iran told US it will not charge transit fees in Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — US Vice President JD Vance said Iran has informed the United States that it will not impose transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Washington will wait to see how the commitment is carried out in practice. In remarks to Fox News, Vance said Tehran had also told Washington it would allow the highest level of oil flow through the strait, but stressed that the US does not trust that pledge until Iran demonstrates it on the ground. Vance said the United States has prepared a safe-passage plan for vessels in the strait that also covers an Iranian commitment not to open fire. He argued that Iran is under strain and wants to end the current situation, and that the US is using diplomatic, economic and military tools to achieve the best outcome. The vice president identified mines laid by Iran at the start of the war as the main problem in the waterway and said the US is working to establish a secure navigation system. Vance's comments followed reports that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine had urged senior Trump administration officials to find a way out of the roughly six-month-long war with Iran.