Trump Proposes US-Iran Joint Venture to Secure the Strait of Hormuz
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a surprising diplomatic pivot, US President Donald Trump has announced that he is considering a joint venture with Iran to protect ships passing through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The proposal, revealed in an interview with ABC News, marks a significant departure from the administration's previous confrontational stance toward Tehran.
Trump stated that such a partnership is the only viable way to restore the Strait to a safe passage for international shipping. He noted that in the recent past, ships transiting the waterway have been attacked and burned, resulting in the loss of both vessels and crew members. Due to the absence of adequate safety measures, the area currently faces unacceptably high risks, the president explained.
Legal Experts Sound the Alarm
However, the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from maritime law experts, who argue that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is being systematically undermined. They view Trump's suggestion as a potential violation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which governs international maritime behavior.
Experts contend that what Trump is proposing could be interpreted as an attempt to seize control of the Strait for private or bilateral use—a move that would violate core principles of international maritime law. Such an arrangement, they warn, would set a dangerous precedent and seriously undermine the rule of law governing the world's oceans.
It is worth noting that the United States has not ratified UNCLOS, even though the treaty is widely regarded as customary international law. Nevertheless, legal scholars emphasize that all nations are expected to adhere to its principles, regardless of whether they are formal signatories.
Iran's Unilateral Toll System
The context for Trump's proposal is Iran's recent declaration that it has assumed the role of exclusive administrator of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has announced that it will impose a transit fee and security charge of at least $2 million on every ship passing through the waterway. This unilateral action has drawn condemnation from numerous countries, many of which argue that Iran has no legal right to levy such fees.
Iran, however, is not a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, though it remains a member of the United Nations Charter. India and France have been among the most vocal critics, warning that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway subject to international law—not the exclusive domain of any single nation.
India has gone a step further, declaring that it will not tolerate Iran's actions. New Delhi has announced its intention to exercise its right to self-defense by deploying warships to protect Indian vessels transiting the Strait. Indian officials have stated that they are prepared to confront the threat posed by Iran
