Iran Moves to Shape Future Revenue From the Strait of Hormuz

Iran is preparing to position itself to earn billions from the Strait of Hormuz once a temporary 60-day ceasefire arrangement expires. According to a Wall Street Journal report cited in the article, Tehran is already requiring ships crossing near its territorial waters to register in advance, while the broader deal now in place says transit will be toll-free for the 60-day period and that Iran must clear mines in the area.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected the idea of charging ships, saying in Bahrain that no country has the right to collect payment for use of international waterways and that such a demand would create a dangerous precedent. He added that Gulf states had already dismissed the proposal, and Oman said future arrangements would not include crossing fees. Donald Trump also wrote that there are “no fees, no insurance costs and no other payments of any kind” being sought or collected by Iran from vessels using the strait.

Despite those statements, Iran has already begun imposing new procedures, including a requirement that ships register two days before passage. It has also set up a dedicated insurance company, which it says will apply to vessels using the route, and warned that travel outside designated lanes is prohibited and dangerous. The current restriction on Iran collecting payments is limited to 60 days, raising the possibility that tolls could begin afterward.

Iranian officials believe fees for security, safety and environmental services in the strait could bring in $40 billion annually for participating states. Tehran is pitching the idea to Middle Eastern countries and China, while comparing its plan to the Turkish-controlled Dardanelles and the multination naval arrangement in the Strait of Malacca. Maritime-law experts say Iran has treaty obligations that bar unilateral charges, and any change would require broad agreement within the International Maritime Organization. Oman said it would provide a temporary safe corridor for tankers along its coast, coordinated with the IMO.