April 12, 2026 | 09:32 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran is preparing a draft law to impose transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to The New Arab, in a move that could further heighten tensions over one of the world’s most critical energy routes.
Ibrahim Azizi, chair of Iran’s National Security Committee, said the proposed fees would be paid in Iran’s local currency, the rial.
“According to the draft law prepared by parliament, transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz will be paid in rials, Iran’s national currency,” Azizi said in a government television broadcast on Friday, April 10. He added that, once approved, the strait would come under the full control of Iran’s armed forces.
Azizi also said Iran could cooperate with Oman, whose Musandam region lies across the strategic waterway, in managing the passage.
The proposal comes amid continued disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global energy supplies that carries around one-fifth of global oil consumption, amid tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Tehran had previously moved to restrict access at the start of the conflict in response to military strikes.
According to Al Jazeera, shipping traffic remains below normal levels despite a two-week ceasefire announcement. Data from S&P Global shows only 22 vessels exited the strait after the ceasefire began, compared with about 135 ships per day before the conflict.
The disruption has been compounded by halted production and attacks on energy infrastructure. The International Energy Agency estimates crude output losses of around 11 million barrels per day through the end of March, while oil prices have surged roughly 50 percent, with Brent forecasts for 2026 rising about 30 percent to US$82.85 per barrel.
The proposal has drawn immediate international pushback. US President Donald Trump warned Iran against introducing any such charges, posting on Truth Social: “There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait. They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!”
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the plan would violate international law.
“Countries do not have the right to introduce tools or payments or charges on these straits,” he said. “Any introduction of tolls is something that is against international law.”
He also warned of wider consequences for global trade, urging all parties not to adopt such a system, saying it would be “very detrimental to global shipping.”
The developments come as Iran and the United States recently held talks in Pakistan that ended without agreement. US Vice President JD Vance said Tehran had not accepted Washington’s conditions, including those related to its nuclear programme, while Iranian state media described US demands as excessive.
Read: Iran Blames US for Failed Peace Talks in Pakistan
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