Iranian diplomat says country will ‘definitely’ collect Hormuz fees, defying US

Iran's ambassador to China has asserted that Iran will "definitely" collect fees from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a move strongly opposed by the United States. Ambassador Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli indicated that "friendly" nations might receive preferential treatment under new security and passage arrangements for the vital waterway.

Fazli explained at the World Peace Forum in Beijing that Iran, as a nation whose territorial waters include the Strait, plans to charge "service fees" rather than "tolls." These new arrangements, developed in cooperation with Oman, aim to guarantee passage security, supervise vessel transit, and manage environmental consequences. The ambassador stressed that these measures are distinct from the initial 60-day agreement with the US that allowed commercial ships to transit the strait free of charge.

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As a country where the Hormuz is part of its territorial waters, we will definitely charge service fees.

However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered that any final agreement will explicitly bar Iran from levying any fees. Rubio dismissed the distinction between service fees and tolls as mere semantics, highlighting the ongoing tension over the strait's control and access. The Strait of Hormuz, which normally facilitates one-fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas, was previously blockaded by Iran during its war with the US and Israel, causing significant energy price hikes. Following a truce and peace talks, Iran lifted its blockade, but negotiations on a permanent settlement remain complex.

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We will definitely consider special treatment for the countries that were friendly to us and specially stood by us during the hard times.