Tehran aims to make the Strait of Hormuz a toll road permanently Bloomberg

Iranian authorities have begun official talks with Oman on establishing a permanent system of financial levies, which is intended to solidify their sole control over maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. 

Bloomberg reported this, citing a statement by Iran’s ambassador to France, Mohammad Amin-Nejad.

The Iranian side insists on mobilizing all available resources to manage shipping, emphasizing that the security of the waterway requires additional costs from companies that benefit from this traffic. 

Following the April ceasefire with the U.S., Tehran significantly expanded its zone of jurisdiction, requiring civilian vessels to coordinate with the newly established Persian Gulf Strait Administration and pay a fee that in some cases reaches $2 million for safe passage. Iran’s leadership plans to maintain this control mechanism even after hostilities have fully ended to deter potential threats from the U.S. and Israel, as well as to replenish the budget of its own depleted economy.

These intentions have drawn sharp criticism and serious concern among Arab neighbors in the region. In particular, Sultan Al-Jaber, head of the United Arab Emirates’ main oil company, ADNOC, emphasized that such an initiative sets an extremely dangerous precedent on the international stage. According to him, if the international community allows a single state to hold the planet’s most vital maritime artery hostage, the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation will be completely destroyed, forcing other countries to grapple with negative global consequences for years to come.

The day before, U.S. President Donald Trump announced significant progress in negotiations with Tehran, noting that as part of a potential agreement, Iran could transfer its highly enriched uranium to the United States.

Trump is willing to wait a few more days to receive a proper response from Iran.