US says ships leaving Hormuz expect no Iranian tolls.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that oil tankers were once again leaving the Strait of Hormuz after a peace agreement, but questions remain about whether Iran will continue to levy tolls on vessels in the strategic waterway.

On Sunday, mediator Pakistan reported that the United States and Iran had agreed to an “immediate and permanent termination” of military operations, though the text of the agreement has not yet been released.

The deal is slated to be signed on Friday in Switzerland, followed by additional “technical” discussions aimed at a long‑term arrangement.

Trump said that, with the signing, the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial route for Gulf energy exports—would reopen and a U.S. naval blockade of Iran would be lifted.

While en route to a G7 summit in France, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that “ships are starting to move, many loaded up with Oil, out of the Strait of Hormuz.” He added, “They are going along the Southern ‘Highway,’ which is totally safe, secure, and pristine,” apparently referring to a shipping lane closer to Oman.

Earlier this week, Trump noted that the U.S. military had covertly assisted more than 200 commercial ships carrying over 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz since May.

He added, “There are other areas of travel, also!!!” without further elaboration.

Iran had effectively halted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S.–Israeli strikes that began on February 28. The closure, which normally handles about one‑fifth of global oil and gas exports, pushed energy prices higher worldwide. Iran later established a payment system for transiting ships.

– Toll‑free? –

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was asked on CNBC Monday morning whether there was an understanding with Iran that the strait would reopen toll‑free for an initial 60‑day period or indefinitely under the deal.

“Our expectation is that the strait is going to be opened in a toll‑free way for the long term, and that’s the sort of thing that we’re going to figure out in these technical negotiations,” he said.

Iran’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, stated that the agreement would allow it to charge maritime service fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, rather than imposing “tolls.”

Other key aspects of the deal, such as Iran’s access to frozen funds and relief from international and U.S. sanctions, remain uncertain.

Vance did not provide details on the terms of the relief but emphasized that it would depend on a “verification process.”

“We say to the Iranians, you are welcome to have access to an unsanctioned economy, you’re welcome to be reinvited into the world economy, but only if you honor the commitments that you make in this agreement,” Vance said. “You don’t have access to the money to rebuild that nuclear program,” he added, “but if you’re willing to give up that program long term, if you’re willing to accept the inspections and verification regime that’s necessary to give us the confidence you’re never going to have a nuclear weapon, then we want you to be a prosperous country, and we will reinvite you into the community of nations.”

When asked who would represent the United States at the signing ceremony, Vance said there would be a “full spectrum of representatives.”

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