- On the 15th, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei clearly stated that Iran has no intention of imposing legally prohibited tolls on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. However, it plans to charge fees for specific services provided within the strait, aiming to regulate its management authority over this critical global maritime chokepoint.
- This fee concept originated from the chain of geopolitical confrontations and shipping security crises triggered by the US-Israel attack on Iran in February this year. Subsequently, Iran formally established the Persian Gulf Strait Management Authority in May to manage safe passage permits and actively discussed with Oman the establishment of a permanent fee mechanism, raising serious concerns in global markets about the rising costs of regular passage through the strait.
- Many international leaders have publicly expressed concern over this move. French President Macron emphasized that he will do everything possible to defend international law and ensure the waterway remains toll-free, while US Vice President Vance revealed that a US-Iran memorandum of understanding is expected to keep the strait open long-term. However, the specifics of the service fees and technical details remain to be clarified in subsequent negotiations.
Change in Fee Nature Sparks Compliance Dispute with International Law
According to current international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it is illegal for sovereign states to directly charge tolls in straits like the Strait of Hormuz used for international navigation. However, charging reasonable service fees for specific services such as security assurance, pollution control, or emergency rescue within the strait has some operational space under international law. By redefining tolls as service fees, Iran attempts to provide a legal basis for its de facto control over the strait without openly violating international norms. Currently, Iran has not specified the exact services or pricing standards, although officials have previously mentioned possible links to environmental management or security escort.
Escalating Geopolitical Conflicts Force Normalization of Strait Management Mechanism
The formal proposal for tolls in the Strait of Hormuz directly began after the US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28, 2026, followed by a series of retaliatory strikes on commercial ships in the waters. To further solidify its control and influence in the Persian Gulf, Iran first signaled the possibility of tolls in March this year and quickly established the Persian Gulf Strait Management Authority in May. The core function of this agency is defined as managing safe passage permits, marking a shift from wartime temporary responses to institutionalized regular control of the waters. The international shipping community is generally concerned that regardless of future diplomatic negotiations, the navigation environment of the Strait of Hormuz cannot fully return to its pre-conflict liberalized state in the short term.
Global Shipping Costs Under Pressure and Supply Chain Reassessment Risks
As the world's most important oil transportation chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz carries about one-fifth of global oil trade. Shipping market analysis indicates that if Iran's permanent fee mechanism and safe passage permit system are implemented, regardless of the service name under which fees are charged, it will inevitably increase the operating costs, time delays, and insurance rates of global tankers. Shipping companies may face more complex approval processes, and some bulk commodity trade flows may even face restructuring. Against the backdrop of still-sensitive global inflation, if the geopolitical premium of the strait cannot dissipate in the long term, the resilience of the global energy supply chain will remain under pressure.
International Multilateral Diplomatic Game and Technical Negotiation Outlook
Faced with Iran's unilateral actions in channel management, the international community's reactions are mixed, and the game is intensifying. French President Macron has clearly stated his firm defense of international law and maintenance of toll-free passage. Meanwhile, the US government tends to resolve the crisis through a diplomatic understanding framework. US Vice President Vance revealed that the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran is expected to keep the Strait of Hormuz open long-term, with the core being to ensure no tolls are charged. However, the US also acknowledges that accurately defining the service fees proposed by Iran and technically separating these fees from tolls will be the most central and controversial focus of subsequent multilateral technical negotiations. If subsequent negotiations break down, market pricing may reassess geopolitical risks.
