Iran plans to impose fees for commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran announced today, quoted by DPA, BTA reported.
The country is already working with Oman on “mechanisms for monitoring security, protecting the environment and combating crimes at sea”, said ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai, quoted by Iranian media.
He explained that the fees will be imposed for maritime services provided to ships.
The dispute over transit rights through the strait - a key international route for oil, gas and fertilizers - is considered one of the main factors in the recent escalation of the military conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Before the US and Israel to wage war against Iran on February 28, shipping through the strait was calm, with no tolls or transit fees. The Strait of Hormuz is only about 24 miles (39 km) wide at its narrowest point.
With both Iran and Oman claiming the maximum 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) allowed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as their territorial waters, the strait is no longer international waters.
The convention guarantees the right of transit and prohibits blockades of commercial ships. Iran does not accept that legal position. The United States' goal is to restore pre-war levels of oil and gas transit through the Strait of Hormuz, US Vice President J.D. Vance said on Saturday.