President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that any final agreement with Iran imposing fees on shipping or maritime transit would be unacceptable to the United States. Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump responded to a reporter's question by saying, "It would be unacceptable to me." He argued that permitting such fees would set a dangerous precedent, adding, "If you did that for them, you'd have to do it for other people. I wouldn't allow it there either. Yeah, it would. It would be a game changer."
Trump Cancels Housing Bill Signing, Demands Voting Restrictions
In a separate development, Trump abruptly canceled a planned ceremony to sign a bipartisan housing affordability package, instead demanding that Congress first pass the SAVE America Act, a voting restriction bill. Trump posted on Truth Social: "Today's Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency." The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification to cast a ballot—measures Democrats denounce as voter suppression. The bill has stalled in the Senate, lacking the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
Trump Confronts Republican Senators Over Iran War Powers
Trump's lunch meeting with Senate Republicans turned contentious when he challenged lawmakers who had voted to rebuke him over the Iran war. Four Republicans joined Democrats in adopting a symbolic resolution directing Trump to end hostilities with Iran or seek congressional authorization. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana recounted his exchange with Trump: "I stood and said, 'You have not told the American people what's going on. It was supposed to last four weeks; it's lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved and I want to know what's going on.'" Cassidy, who lost a primary election in May to a Trump-backed candidate, is ineligible for re-election. After the meeting, Trump told reporters, "I don't like a few people, but that's okay—I think you know who they are."
Iranian Negotiator Calls Preliminary Deal 'America's Defeat'
Meanwhile, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of Iran's negotiating team and parliament speaker, declared that the preliminary agreement with the United States represents "America's declaration of defeat." Speaking at a conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ghalibaf said the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding—finalized through Pakistani mediation—was "not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation." He stressed that Middle East security must be ensured by regional countries and called for the withdrawal of foreign military forces, which he described as a "source of instability." Ghalibaf also emphasized that peace in Lebanon is a fundamental pillar of any definitive agreement with Washington, stating, "For us, the ceasefire in Lebanon has been and is as important as the ceasefire in Iran."
Oil Prices Fall as Strait of Hormuz Reopens
The initial U.S.-Iran accord has lifted Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, allowing traffic to resume through the waterway that previously handled a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Benchmark oil prices fell on Wednesday to their lowest level since before the war began, as supply concerns eased. However, conflicting accounts over elements of the deal—including financial incentives for Iran, inspections of nuclear facilities, control of the strait, and Israel's parallel war in Lebanon—have sparked criticism of Trump at home and in the Middle East. The deal establishes 60 days of talks to address thornier issues, particularly Iran's nuclear program.
