Iran signals new Strait of Hormuz service fees with special treatment for friendly countries
Iran has said vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz will face new service fees, while China and other friendly countries will receive special considerations. The announcement was made by Iran's ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, at the World Peace Forum in Beijing on Saturday. He said the measures were being discussed as part of new arrangements for the waterway, which links the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes.
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Fazli said Iran was working in collaboration with Oman on the plans, describing the two countries as partners in shaping the future of the strait. He said the fees would be service charges rather than a toll, and linked them to security of passage, supervision of vessel traffic and environmental consequences from the large number of ships using the route. According to the remarks reported from the forum, Iran also intends to apply different treatment to China and other friendly states when deciding the level and type of fees.
The comments come after an initial deal signed by Iran and the United States last month to halt hostilities, under which commercial ships were allowed to transit the waterway free of charge for 60 days. It remains unclear what rules will apply after that period ends. The United States has said Iran will not be allowed to impose tolls or fees on vessels under any final agreement, setting up a point of dispute in the ongoing negotiations.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. In peacetime, about one-fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the waterway, making any change to access terms closely watched by shipping companies, energy markets and governments. The latest remarks suggest Iran is seeking to turn control over the strait into a broader security and regulatory issue, rather than only a transit question.
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Fazli said the strait had become a security issue after the four-month war involving the United States and Iran, and he tied the new arrangements to wider concerns over passage, oversight and environmental protection. He also said the plans would be developed with Oman, which sits on the opposite side of the strait and has already formed a joint committee with Iran to determine how the route should be managed. The comments indicate that any future framework may involve both bilateral coordination and differentiated treatment for selected countries.
What remains unclear is the scale of any fees, how they would be collected, and whether the United States or other parties to the talks would accept them in a final settlement. It is also not known how "special considerations" for China and other friendly countries would work in practice. The next developments to watch are the outcome of the negotiations, any formal announcement from Tehran or Muscat, and whether shipping operators receive clearer guidance before the 60-day period expires.
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