US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that Iran is not seeking to charge tolls from the ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and threatened that if the information turns out to be false, “negotiations between Washington and Tehran would end immediately.”
US and Iran ended the first round of negotiations in Switzerland on Monday, and both countries have offered conflicting accounts of financial incentives for Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz , and Israel’s continued offensive in Lebanon.
Pushback from Congressional hardliners
Trump has faced criticism over the deal from his political adversaries, and it also includes hardliners in his Republican Party.
Social media warning and conditional negotiations
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Iran has informed the US that, despite troublemaking Fake News reporting to the contrary, there are ‘no tolls, no insurance costs, & no other charges of any kind being sought or received by Iran on ships traveling the Strait of Hormuz’. If this is false information, negotiations would end, immediately!!”
US Vice-President JD Vance, PM of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif and Premier minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, at the Buergenstock resort resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland. (AP)
Oversight of frozen funds and domestic agricultural support
The US President further informed that no funds have been released for Iran by the US Treasury and the department has also not released any funds frozen Iranian assets.
“We will be releasing some of their money, that is totally controlled by us, to our Farmers and Ranchers, for the purchase of Corn, Wheat, Soybeans,” Trump wrote.
Legislative challenge via Senate war powers resolution
Meanwhile, Trump administration faced a setback in the US Senate on Wednesday as lawmakers approved a war powers resolution preventing the US President from continuing hostilities against Iran.
The resolution passed in the Senate with a vote of 50-48, wherein four Republican senator, namely Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky broke away from the party line and voted to support the resolution.
The resolution had passed the House of Representatives earlier this month and it effectively means that president will be required to seek Congress’ approval to use military force against Iran.
President Donald Trump speaks at a Mack Trucks facility in Macungie, Pa. (AP Photo) 
US Vice-President JD Vance, PM of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif and Premier minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, at the Buergenstock resort resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland. (AP)
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