Tehran mulls Hormuz tolls as White House issues fresh warning amid strikes

Warring sides hardened their positions as hopes of de-escalation appeared to fade on Thursday, with the United States preparing for the arrival of combat forces to potentially put boots on the ground in Iran and Tehran moving to formalize its control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's parliament is working on a draft bill to charge a fee in return for securing the passage of ships through the vital strait, according to the semiofficial Fars News Agency, citing an unnamed lawmaker who added that the plan is expected to be finalized next week.

"We are pursuing a proposal in which Iran's sovereignty, control and oversight in the Strait of Hormuz are formally recognized in law, and through the collection of tolls, a new revenue stream will also be created for the country," Fars cited the lawmaker as saying.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday in an interview with state TV that the strait was "closed only to enemies", adding that Tehran's armed forces had already "provided safe passage" for ships from friendly nations.

Meanwhile, a US strike group led by the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli drew closer to the Middle East carrying some 2,500 Marines, and at least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division have been ordered to the region.

US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, who commands the US military in the region, said that his forces have hit more than 10,000 targets since Israel and the US started the war on Feb 28, destroying 92 percent of Iran's largest ships and more than two-thirds of the country's missile, drone and naval production facilities.

"We're not done yet," Cooper said in a video message. "We are on track to fully dismantle Iran's broader military capabilities."

Iran should "get serious soon, before it is too late", US President Donald Trump threatened in a Truth Social post on Thursday, claiming that Iran is "begging" to make a deal with the United States.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also issued a warning on Wednesday, demanding Iran accept defeat or face more intense strikes, even as Washington presented a 15-point ceasefire proposal to Tehran.

But Araghchi said on Wednesday that his government has not engaged in talks to end the conflict, "nor do we intend to hold any negotiations".

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned on Wednesday that intelligence reports suggest that "Iran's enemies" are planning to occupy an Iranian island with backing from an unnamed regional country.

Landing ground troops

Iran has also hinted it could open a new military front on the Red Sea if the US takes "foolish actions", such as landing ground troops.

Military sources told Tasnim News Agency that US forces "should be careful not to add another strait to their problems and dilemmas". "The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is considered one of the world's strategic straits, and Iran has both the will and the capability to produce a fully credible threat against it," they said, referring to the entrance to the Red Sea.

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Meanwhile, Israel is ramping up its military campaign against Iran amid fears the US could declare an abrupt ceasefire. Israeli media reported on Thursday that Alireza Tangsiri, commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy, had been targeted in Bandar Abbas. An official noted that Tangsiri was overseeing potential closures of the Strait of Hormuz.

In the United Arab Emirates, alerts began sounding again in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Two people were killed and three others injured in the capital after debris fell from a successfully intercepted missile, authorities said.

Contact the writers at cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn