Actually, if you want Iran to stop charging fees in the strait, there are really only two approaches: one military and one diplomatic. The military option goes without saying—it’s about completely eliminating Iran’s ability to control and interfere with the strait, and clearing out any threats along the coastline. But this would require large-scale military deployment, which is highly unlikely. The other option is to make the fees unprofitable, meaning building pipelines to bypass the strait entirely. However, this isn’t realistic in the short term. So in the end, diplomacy is really the only viable path left. That’s why today’s first round of negotiations focused on setting the agenda for future talks. It’s back to the old question of what Iran can gain in exchange for guaranteeing safe passage through the strait. Now, looking at it this way, Trump’s sudden proposal to intercept oil tankers actually serves three purposes: 1. Even though negotiations with Iran have started, he still needs to maintain a tough image domestically. 2. To pressure allies into taking sides and stop giving Iran any benefits. 3. To build leverage and gather bargaining chips for the next round of talks. This is a familiar tactic—after the tariff wars and trade wars, everyone should be pretty clear on how this works.