Iran prepares for toll-based transit in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran is working on a new legal regulation concerning maritime traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Rezaei Kouchi, Chairman of the Development Commission of the Iranian Parliament, announced that a draft is being prepared to strengthen sovereignty, control, and oversight in the strait within a legal framework. Kouchi stated, "In this context, the goal is to create a source of revenue for the country by charging fees for transit."

DRAFT TO BE BROUGHT TO PARLIAMENT AGENDA

Stating that the prepared text has not yet become an official proposal, Kouchi indicated that the process will move forward shortly. "We plan to submit this draft to the Parliamentary Research Center next week. The draft will be finalized with the participation of the legal team and will be officially submitted and followed up once the Parliament General Assembly sessions begin. According to the draft, Iran should charge a fee because it ensures the security of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

"THIS PRACTICE IS NORMAL"

Expressing that the regulation bears similarities to international trade practices, Kouchi said, "This is a completely natural situation. In other corridors as well, commercial cargo pays a fee when passing through a country. The Strait of Hormuz is also a corridor. We provide the security, and therefore it is natural for ships and oil tankers to pay this fee."

CLAIMS OF PAYMENT IN YUAN ON THE AGENDA

Claims in the international press suggest that Iran has increased its oversight of ships passing through the strait and is demanding payment in exchange for security for some transits. According to reports, ships transmit their cargo, crew, and destination information to Iranian authorities before transit. There are also claims that some ships make payments in the Chinese currency, the Yuan, that this currency is preferred for high-value transactions, and that trade in Yuan is sometimes made a condition. Some assessments suggest that priority is given to ships paying in Yuan and that this approach is part of a strategy to bypass sanctions and promote non-dollar trade.

TIGHT OVERSIGHT ALONGSIDE TENSIONS

With the start of conflicts in the region, the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the most critical topics on the global agenda. In the initial phase, the US and European countries brought up military escort options to keep the strait open. Tensions escalated following US attacks on Iran's energy and maritime capabilities. Iran, for its part, announced that the strait has not been completely closed, but that transits are being brought under control.

While Iranian officials stated that ships linked to the US, Israel, and elements supporting these countries cannot be guaranteed safe passage, they announced that other commercial vessels could pass through in coordination with Iran and within the framework of established rules. In the later stages of the process, Donald Trump gave Iran a deadline to open the strait, announcing that otherwise, energy infrastructure would be targeted. While it was later announced that the deadline had been extended, the Iranian side reported that the current control mechanism remains in place. With these developments, transits through the strait have largely become dependent on Iran's oversight.