Tehran, Iran – The agency responsible for managing waterways in the Persian Gulf announced new measures on Friday regulating navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian media, any vessel wishing to transit the strait will now be required to submit a formal request to the relevant agency.
Traffic mechanism and new conditions
The newly established authority, created following Tehran’s claim to control the Strait of Hormuz, clarified that granting passage rights is contingent upon submitting applications and vessels meeting specific requirements. Furthermore, the authority confirmed that applicants will be granted passage within a defined timeframe of 60 days. This comes as part of the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed in Islamabad.
Temporary exemption from financial fees
In a parallel move, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued an official statement Thursday evening formally announcing a 60-day suspension of all transit fees for ships. The statement indicated that the Iranian government would bear the costs of these fees during this period, in accordance with the aforementioned memorandum of understanding.
Controversy over the legality of fees and international positions
These Iranian actions raise broad legal questions, with senior US officials emphasizing that international law prohibits Iran from imposing “rewards” or fees on ships. For its part, Tehran insists that these sums are in exchange for “services” it provides to transiting vessels.
Despite the temporary exemption, the statement from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council hinted that Iran intends to resume imposing the fees after the two-month period expires.
Media reports, including those from CNN, highlighted that the memorandum allows Iran to reach an agreement with Oman on regulating the fees after the grace period ends. This raises the possibility of continued maritime tensions in the region.
So far, there has been no official response from the White House regarding Iran’s future intentions concerning the collection of fees after the grace period ends.
