US could take over Strait of Hormuz, seek payment for security – Trump

US President Donald Trump has said the United States would likely take over the Strait of Hormuz and should be compensated for securing the strategic waterway amid escalating tensions with Iran.

Speaking in a phone interview on Fox News’ Fox & Friends on Monday, Trump said the US would assume responsibility for protecting one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.

“We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it. We’ll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that,” Reuters quoted him to have said.

Trump added that Washington should be paid by countries that benefit from the waterway’s security.

We’re going to guard it. We’re going to get paid for guarding it – a lot of money.

“We’re going to be reimbursed, because the other nations are very wealthy. They’re on our side, and we can’t be expected to do that for nothing,” he said.

The comments come as the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.

Iran announced the closure of the waterway on Saturday following what it described as an unauthorised transit and said on Sunday that shipping would remain suspended until “stability and calm” were restored.

Trump accused Tehran of reneging on previous agreements.

“We had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it. They always break it. We’ve had 10 deals with these people, and so we’re just going to hit them very hard,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the only way to restore normal shipping through the strait was for the United States to end its military operations in the waterway.

The group warned that “continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector.”

The latest exchange follows heavy missile and drone attacks between US and Iranian forces over the weekend and into Monday.

Tehran said it had targeted US military facilities across the Gulf while maintaining its closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a development that has pushed global oil prices higher.

The renewed hostilities have cast doubt on an interim US-Iran agreement reached last month to reopen the strait and suspend military action while both sides pursued further negotiations.