Trump says Iran memorandum will keep the Strait of Hormuz toll-free and offers US a paid ‘guardian’ role over the Gulf
Trump says new Iran memorandum will keep the Strait of Hormuz toll-free and offers a US ‘guardian’ role over the Gulf in return for a share of regional revenue.
President Trump announced on Sunday that a memorandum reached with Iran will guarantee the Strait of Hormuz remains toll-free, and he framed the pact as a major strategic win for Washington. The president said the agreement, which his team will follow up in talks in Switzerland, prevents Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and secures freedom of navigation in the Gulf. He also suggested the United States could assume a formal security role in the region in exchange for a portion of regional revenue.
Details of the memorandum and next negotiations
The memorandum of understanding described by the president has not been published in full, and officials said further talks are expected to begin in Switzerland later this week. According to the president’s account, the document suspends any tolls in the Strait of Hormuz and sets a framework for subsequent negotiations on more detailed terms. U.S. aides have characterized the upcoming meetings as follow-up talks to convert the memorandum into a binding accord.
Claims about concessions and timelines
Mr. Trump portrayed the accord as imposing long-term limits on Iran’s nuclear program and restricting enrichment to nonmilitary uses. He suggested Iran had accepted limits that would prevent weaponization, and said discussions remain on the duration of any enrichment suspension. Officials will need to publish language and timelines before independent observers can verify whether Tehran has agreed to the specific restrictions the president described.
Military pressure, strikes and the blockade
The president credited recent U.S. military actions and a naval blockade with compelling Tehran to negotiate and yield concessions. He argued that targeted strikes on Iranian facilities and the temporary closure of the strait had shifted calculations in Tehran, prompting a willingness to engage. Critics caution that the linkage between military pressure and diplomatic outcomes will be scrutinized by regional governments and international partners.
Military officials and diplomats will now be asked to explain how operational measures were coordinated with diplomatic objectives. The transition from kinetic operations to formalized inspection and verification mechanisms remains a central challenge for negotiators on both sides.
Proposal to become the region’s ‘guardian’ for revenue
In the interview, the president floated the idea that the United States could act as a security guarantor for the Middle East in return for a share of regional income. He framed the arrangement as a commercial exchange: American protection in return for financial compensation from Gulf states. Such a proposal would mark a significant departure from longstanding postwar U.S. security practice, and it raises immediate questions about acceptability among Gulf governments and allied capitals.
When pressed about whether Gulf monarchies had agreed to such terms, the president did not offer a definitive answer and said talks on the concept were only beginning. Regional leaders will weigh the political, legal and strategic implications of any formal compensation for a U.S. security role before moving forward.
Nuclear material, inspections and verification commitments
Mr. Trump said the memorandum would include provisions for down-blending and removal of enriched material, and for stringent inspection access to suspected sites. He argued that the agreement would prevent Iran from acquiring weapons-capable fissile material and promised rapid inspection timelines compared with prior accords. Independent verification and transparent reporting will be critical to determining whether the inspection regime meets international standards.
The president also disputed that his agreement was weaker than earlier arrangements, asserting that the new measures would be more durable and enforceable. Experts will likely compare any finalized text with previous nuclear agreements to assess differences in enrichment limits, breakout timelines, and mechanisms for dealing with violations.
International reactions and expected diplomatic fallout
European leaders issued cautious support for detailed negotiations and urged rapid implementation once terms are finalized, framing the deal as an opportunity to stabilize the region and the global economy. Allies who opposed recent military actions will monitor the follow-up talks closely and press for text that includes strong verification and dispute-resolution mechanisms. Israel expressed reservations during negotiations, and the president singled out the Israeli prime minister for criticism, saying his actions had nearly derailed the process.
The upcoming Group of Seven summit and bilateral consultations will test whether Washington can galvanize allied backing for the memorandum’s transition into a durable treaty. Regional capitals from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi will also be pivotal in shaping any security arrangements tied to Gulf revenue or formalized U.S. policing roles.
The United States and Iran now face a narrow window to convert the president’s account into a verifiable, enforceable agreement that secures freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and credibly limits Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Observers will be watching the Swiss negotiations for concrete language on enrichment caps, inspection protocols, timelines for down-blending, and the specified obligations of outside powers.