U.S. Navy ships transit the Strait of Hormuz in this undated photo. A ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran was reached Tuesday, raising questions about the U.S. military’s role in the vital shipping corridor. (Keith Nowak/U.S. Navy)
A last-minute ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran to halt weeks of strikes eased fears of a wider conflict but leaves two key questions unresolved: Who controls the Strait of Hormuz? And what role will the U.S. military play in keeping it open?
The deal came together Tuesday evening, hours before a deadline set by President Donald Trump for potential U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure, with both sides agreeing to a two-week cessation of hostilities as negotiations continue.
It’s the closest the U.S. has come to ending the 40-day conflict, which has sent fuel prices skyrocketing as Iran threatened attacks against vessels transiting the strait.
Despite the ceasefire, disagreements persist over how to govern the narrow sea route between Iran and Oman that is a vital corridor for a fifth of the globe’s oil.
A U.S. Navy helicopter accompanies warships through the Strait of Hormuz in this undated photo. A ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran was reached Tuesday, as questions remain about the U.S. military’s role in the strategically important shipping route. (Janae McCoy/U.S. Navy)
Trump has emphasized that any deal must include free and open transit for oil. In a Truth Social post, he said the United States “will be helping with the traffic buildup” in the waterway but without specifying how.
He previously suggested that the U.S. Navy could escort oil tankers and other cargo ships, but such an operation could put American sailors and merchant vessels at high risk of drone, missile or mine attacks.
The U.S. has deployed a fleet of warships to the region over the last several months, including the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in the Arabian Sea and the Ford Carrier Strike Group in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
At least 16 destroyers and potentially one submarine are in the region. The Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, including elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is also in the region.
Multiple outlets last month reported that the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group is also en route.
Iran has allowed small numbers of ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since fighting began on Feb. 28, but global oil prices remain significantly higher than usual.
Part of Iran’s 10-point proposal, which Trump described as “a workable basis on which to negotiate,” included allowing Tehran to continue controlling traffic through the waterway.
Doing so would be a major departure from maritime shipping norms and would likely conflict with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It guarantees transit passage through international straits and generally prohibits countries from charging foreign ships for passage.
Trump on Wednesday suggested that the U.S. could launch a joint venture with Iran to charge tolls, according to ABC News.
“We’re thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It’s a way of securing it — also securing it from lots of other people,” Trump told ABC’s Jonathan Karl.
Iran has demanded that any permanent peace deal allow it to collect fees in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. A senior Iranian official told the outlet that costs would vary depending on vessel type, cargo and prevailing conditions.
In his announcement of the ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that for the next two weeks, safe passage through the strait will be coordinated with Iran’s military.
Last week, Iranian officials said they were discussing a system that would allow them to charge fees in coordination with Oman.
Such a proposal is likely to face global pushback, especially from countries in Europe and Asia that rely heavily on the goods passing through the strait.
Previous tactics employed by Trump, including threatening Iran with more strikes or encouraging other nations to seize the oil themselves, have yielded little in the way of opening the strait.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, asked about Trump’s claims that the U.S. would oversee traffic through the strait, said the military remains ready to intervene as needed.
“We’ll be hanging around. We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to make sure Iran complies with this ceasefire, and then ultimately comes to the table and makes a deal,” Hegseth told reporters Wednesday morning.
He emphasized that the two-week ceasefire includes the free passage of ships.
“That will be happening, they will be sailing,” he said.
News of the ceasefire was welcomed by world leaders, many of whom are still pushing for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. A coalition of more than 40 nations, not including the U.S., gathered last week to explore ways to reopen the strait.
The talks, hosted by Britain, focused on viable diplomatic and political measures to restore freedom of navigation after the fighting had stopped.
The ceasefire will bring a “moment of relief” to the region and the world, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday in a post on X. He was set to travel to the Persian Gulf later that day for further discussions.
