1st LD Writethru: Trump says will withdraw plans to charge fees in Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States will take investment deals with Gulf states instead of fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

"Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20 percent United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all ship traffic except for Iran, while the naval blockade will continue.

"BY FAR, the Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran," he said. "We will therefore have a FULL Blockade, but only on Ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo," he added.

The decision came one day after he proposed a 20-percent fee on shipping to reimburse the United States for protecting the key waterway.

Trump said he had formally notified Congress on Friday that the country had resumed military operations against Iran.

Fresh U.S. airstrikes and Iranian retaliation have plunged Washington and Tehran back into open conflict less than a month after signing a 14-point memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war. Enditem