Oman has submitted a formal proposal to the US and Western countries suggesting that shipping companies pay service fees for Strait of Hormuz transit, the New York Times reports. The proposal is partly modeled on arrangements in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, where a private fund collects voluntary contributions for maritime safety. An Iranian source stated that Tehran views the payments as mandatory, not voluntary, according to the report as relayed by N12.
Oman has formally proposed a framework for voluntary shipping fees in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a New York Times report Tuesday (17:34 Jerusalem) relayed by N12 journalist Asaf Rozentzweig. The plan, submitted to the US and Western governments, is partly modeled on the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, where a private fund collects voluntary contributions to support maritime safety infrastructure. An Iranian source told the NYT that Tehran interprets the payments as mandatory, not optional, signaling a potential clash over enforcement.
The report deepens an ongoing thread The Zioneer has covered since June 7, when Iran began billing vessels up to $2 million per transit. On June 15, The Zioneer reported that Tehran claimed US recognition of its right to collect tolls after a 60-day grace period. On Tuesday (16:45 Jerusalem), The Zioneer noted that Iran and Oman were continuing to advance the plan despite US opposition. That same day, earlier bulletins tracked the diplomatic sequence: Iran's deputy foreign minister announced progress in talks with Oman (Monday 10:58 Jerusalem), and earlier versions of the thread reported Iran's threat of unilateral action if Oman did not cooperate, as well as the arrival of the Iranian deputy FM in Oman for talks.
The Omani proposal, which explicitly labels payments as voluntary, appears designed to offer an internationally acceptable alternative to Iranian unilateral enforcement — though Tehran's insistence on mandatory fees leaves the outcome uncertain. As The Zioneer reported on June 15, Iran previously claimed a US recognition of its right to toll collection, and on June 27 it reported that an Iranian official notified Washington it would not collect tolls — a statement at odds with the new Omani plan. Additional background from The Zioneer's archive shows that on June 25, Oman affirmed freedom of navigation and rejected any transit fees, and on June 26, Oman warned European officials the strait would not return to pre-war status and that fees might be levied — a pair of statements that the new proposal appears to reconcile.
Whether Oman's framework will be accepted by Washington, shipping companies, or Iran itself remains unconfirmed. The specific fee mechanism, Istanbul or Geneva-based arbitration, and any timeline for implementation are not yet public.
7 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
- StrongIran: Strait of Hormuz management is solely Iran and Oman's responsibility, toll collection continues
- DevelopingIran analyst claims U.S. will collect Strait of Hormuz tolls, contradicting Tehran's officials
Source and signal
- Internal intake