US EditionIran considers levying transit fees on ships in Hormuz Strait, lawmaker says
Iran plans to impose tolls on ships to leverage control over the Strait of Hormuz, a route for one-fifth of global oil, amid ongoing war disruptions.
- On Thursday, a Tehran lawmaker said parliament is considering levying transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, updated on March 19, 2026.
- Faced with Western sanctions, Iranian officials say they will monetise Tehran's leverage and punish countries deemed hostile by Tehran through tolls, while Mohammad Mokhber envisions a post-war 'new regime' for the strait.
- Maritime tracking shows major disruption, with Iranian forces attacking around 20 vessels and at least five ships exiting via Iranian waters on March 15-16, using 'dark' transits.
- Crude market moves show immediate impact on prices and policy as crude oil prices touched nearly $120 a barrel last Monday and remain high, prompting Donald Trump to urge naval deployments while European leaders in Brussels rejected sending frigates.
- Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's comments point to a sustained blockade option as Iran allows friendly vessels to pass, warns of blocking countries deemed to have joined the 'aggression', and has exported more than 16 million barrels since March.
38 Articles
38 Articles
Iran Considers Transit Fees for Ships Using Strait of Hormuz, Lawmaker Says
Iran is considering charging transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian lawmaker said on March 19, as officials in Tehran stepped up rhetoric over the strategic waterway. Somayeh Rafiei, a member of Iran’s parliament representing Tehran, said lawmakers are working on a plan that would require countries to pay to pass through Hormuz. “We in parliament are pursuing a plan according to which, if the Strait of Hormuz is u…
Iran presents radical new plan for control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s former First Vice President, Mohammed Mokhber, said on Thursday that a new framework for managing the Strait of Hormuz needed to be established when the current war in the region concludes, which he said represents "a turning point for Iran’s regional position". Mokhber served as vice president from 2021 to 2024, under former President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a plane crash. He later served as an advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Kham…
Transit Fees on Strait of Hormuz: To put pressure on the US, Iran is considering charging a toll tax on crossing the Hormuz route, which means Iran wants to cash this route strategically. Approximately 20 percent of the world's oil and gas is supplied through this route.
The Strait of Hormus is Iran's great leverage. Ships of allies let Tehran pass, others are attacked. Now parliamentarians bring a fee into play. It could also be charged when the war is over.
While Tehran has maintained pressure on the Strait of Ormuz since the start of the conflict with the United States on 28 February, the Iranian Parliament has reportedly mentioned the possibility of introducing a tax on the Strait of Ormuz.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
