Trump opposes tolls on Strait of Hormuz, warns Iran on nuclear ambitions

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, May 21 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his opposition to the imposition of tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran is reportedly in talks with Oman to establish a toll system amid its push for control over traffic through the crucial waterway.

Trump made the remarks during a press availability at the White House amid concerns about continuing disruptions to shipping through the strait, a vital waterway for shipments of oil, natural gas, fertilizer and other commodities.

"We want it free. We don't want tolls," Trump said, arguing that the strait is an "international waterway."

He also stressed that the United States has "total" control of the Strait of Hormuz with its military blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, which he cast as a "steel wall."

"The blockade has been 100 percent effective," he said.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Iran's Ambassador to France Mohammad Amin-Nejad said that the Islamic Republic is discussing with Oman ways to set up some form of a permanent toll system to formalize control of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a meeting with reporters, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that a diplomatic agreement with Iran would be "unfeasible," should Tehran put a tolling system in place for the strait.

"It would be unacceptable and it would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible," he said.

During the press availability at the White House, Trump put pressure on Tehran to renounce its nuclear ambitions, warning of "something drastic."

"We are going to either make sure they don't have a nuclear weapon, or we are going to have to do something very drastic,"

The president also reiterated that his administration will take Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.

"We will get it. We don't need it. We don't want it," he said. "We will probably destroy it after we get it, but we are not going to let them have it."