US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would not approve a final agreement with Iran if it allowed the country to charge fees on shipping or maritime transit, calling such a provision "unacceptable" to Washington.
Responding to a question on whether he would block a final Iran deal that included any kind of shipping fees, Trump told reporters, "No, it would be unacceptable to me because we have numerous strengths and if we did that for them we would have to do it for other people."
#WATCH | On if he would you block a final Iran deal if it included any kind of fees on shipping, US President Donald Trump says, "No, it would be unacceptable to me because we have numerous strengths and if we did that for them we would have to do it for other people..."… pic.twitter.com/FBbTjiH9iz
— ANI (@ANI) June 24, 2026
The remarks came as Trump met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House. Trump argued that permitting fees would set a precedent that could encourage similar demands elsewhere, saying it "would be a game changer."
The exchange comes a week after Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian electronically signed a memorandum intended to pave the way to end the war Washington and Tel Aviv launched against Iran on February 28.
Under the deal, Washington and Tehran are due to hold negotiations for 60 days, with the possibility of an extension, aimed at reaching a final agreement.
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Shipping and maritime fees have emerged as a sensitive point in the talks, with Tehran having previously raised the issue of transit charges tied to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.
Separately, in the same interaction with reporters, Trump addressed concerns over rising fuel costs, he said, "We are doing a big investigation on it," referring to potential price gouging by oil companies at the pump. He added, "They're not reducing the prices commensurate with what's happening. 19 million barrels came out yesterday. That is a FLOOD... and they should be much lower, the gasoline prices."
"We are doing a big investigation on it," says @POTUS on potential price gouging by oil companies at the gas pump.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 24, 2026
"They're not reducing the prices commensurate with what's happening. 19 million barrels came out yesterday. That is a FLOOD... and they should be much lower, the… pic.twitter.com/7MRS1UWq96
The comments add to uncertainty surrounding the broader US-Iran negotiations, which have faced scrutiny over unresolved questions including nuclear site inspections and reconstruction funding for Iran.
The two sides have offered conflicting timelines on inspections, even as a UN nuclear watchdog has said site visits will go ahead.
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