Iran and Oman are working together to impose a service fee for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the New York Times reported Tuesday, citing an Iranian official and four diplomats. The plan would reverse centuries of free passage through the waterway and remains opposed by the US.
The New York Times reported Tuesday (July 1) that Iran and Oman are advancing a joint plan to levy service fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, citing one Iranian official and four diplomats. The report, published at 10:58 Jerusalem on Monday, June 29, marks the latest in a sequence of developments The Zioneer has tracked since late June.
On Monday, June 29, The Zioneer reported that Oman had submitted a formal proposal to the U.S. and its allies for shipping companies to pay service fees, with a diplomatic source describing the fee as voluntary while an Iranian source said it is mandatory. The U.S. administration accepted the proposal in principle with technical reservations, according to that same New York Times report. Earlier, at 10:58 Jerusalem on Monday, June 29, the Times reported that Iran and Oman were continuing to advance the plan despite U.S. opposition. On June 29, the Times also cited an Iranian source stating that Tehran views the payments as mandatory, not voluntary. Previously, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi (arriving in Oman for talks, June 29), had stated that progress had been made in negotiations with Oman, and that Iran would proceed unilaterally if Oman did not cooperate — reports published at 10:58 Jerusalem on that same date. The thread's earlier versions from June 29 show that initial reports from Israeli media (N12) noted Gharibabadi's arrival for discussions on joint control of the strait.
As The Zioneer has reported throughout June, Iran has repeatedly asserted that management of the Strait of Hormuz is the sole responsibility of Tehran and Muscat, and that tolls would continue after a 60-day freeze. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on June 18 that collection is Iran's sovereign right. On June 7, Fars News Agency reported that implementation had already begun, with fees of up to $2 million per ship, some payments made in Tether or barter. The Trump administration has rejected the tolls, and a 14-point U.S.-Iran agreement signed this month stipulates free passage during a 60-day negotiating period, with Iran and Oman mandated to design a follow-up regime — a mandate the fee proposal exceeds.
What remains open: the precise fee structure and its enforcement timeline remain unconfirmed. The New York Times report cites anonymous Iranian and diplomatic sources; no official joint announcement from Tehran and Muscat has been issued. The U.S. stance, having accepted the proposal in principle with technical reservations, leaves the final shape of the plan uncertain.
8 developments
- StrongIran says it will hold talks with Oman to set fees for Strait of Hormuz passage
- DevelopingIran Begins Charging Ships for Strait of Hormuz Transit — Up to $2 Million Per Vessel
- DevelopingReport: Oman submits formal Strait of Hormuz proposal to US
- DevelopingIran and Oman announce joint management company for Strait of Hormuz
Source and signal
- Internal intake