Iran, Oman to charge fees for Strait of Hormuz transit

Iran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, said in a Monday interview that Iran and Oman will impose new conditions for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and charge fees for services tied to transit. He did not specify which services would be charged, how fees would be calculated, or when any charges would begin.

Jalali said the waterway ‘will be open, but with new conditions’ and described the arrangements as to be decided by the Iranian and Omani authorities. He characterized the plan as a joint effort rather than unilateral action by Iran.

Earlier statements by Iranian officials indicated plans to levy tolls on oil tankers, and in April a trade union spokesperson named Bitcoin as a possible payment option for transit fees.

U.S. officials warned Oman in late May against joining any fee scheme. The U.S. Treasury secretary reported that Oman’s ambassador denied plans to impose charges. Omani authorities have not publicly confirmed participation or provided details about how any joint regime would be managed.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Before recent hostilities it carried about one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil and a similar share of liquefied natural gas. Since the start of the conflict on Feb. 28, flows of oil and LNG through the strait have been sharply reduced.

Energy markets have reacted. Brent crude traded near $97 a barrel on Monday after recent strikes and explosions in the region. Shipping costs have risen: spot rates for a 40-foot container from Asia to the U.S. West Coast increased roughly 20% in a week to about $3,933, while charges to Northern Europe rose about 27% to near $3,649.

Jalali did not outline enforcement mechanisms, safe-passage guarantees, or exemptions for particular vessel types. Oman controls the eastern approaches to the strait and would be a partner in any formal transit regime.

If transit fees or requirements for alternative payment methods are implemented, they would add new commercial and legal considerations for shipping companies, insurers and energy traders. Past tensions in the strait have prompted temporary jumps in insurance costs and increased naval deployments.