Iran has announced that ships must seek permission to use the Strait of Hormuz and has raised the prospect of future charges, just days after the Prime Minister and other leaders stressed "the right of transit passage without restrictions or tolls."
New Regulations for Strait Passage
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a government agency established by Tehran during the earlier ceasefire to control the strategic waterway, posted on social media on Friday that vessels would be required to submit requests at least 48 hours in advance to pass through the channel. The authority also stated that administrative tariffs, including for "related Iranian insurances," would be waived during the 60-day negotiation period provided for by the interim peace deal to reach a lasting agreement, leaving the door open for fees to be levied at a later date.
The move came as US President Donald Trump claimed Iran was "finished." The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
Background on the Strait Dispute
Ending Tehran's stranglehold on the sea route, which disrupted global oil and gas supplies and drove up fuel and food prices, had been a key demand in negotiations. Sir Keir Starmer has previously highlighted the "untold economic damage" caused by the effective closure of the waterway. However, the interim deal to end the nearly four-month war between the US and Iran only secures safe, toll-free passage of the strait for 60 days, pending the outcome of a final settlement on Tehran's disputed nuclear plans.
The accord leaves it to Iran and Oman, in conjunction with other Gulf states, to "define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz," although it states this must be "in line with the applicable international law," which upholds freedom of navigation.
US and G7 Reactions
Speaking at a White House briefing on Thursday, US Vice President JD Vance restated the administration's position that international waterways "should be free of tolls" and the strait "never used as a chokepoint for the global economy ever again." He said: "The final negotiations can set the terms of what comes afterwards." He added: "I keep coming back to this fundamental structural point of this negotiation, which is that we have all the cards."
But Iran looks set to continue to try and exert leverage over the strait through the PGSA by demanding ships apply for permission to transit "due to the presence of mine-affected areas and the necessity of ensuring safe passage and preventing collisions." The body said: "To avoid delays at the entrance or exit of the Strait of Hormuz, it is essential that passing requests, complete with all required information, are submitted at least 48 hours prior to arriving at the strait area. During the 60-day period, tariffs for security, safety, and environmental services, as well as related Iranian insurances, will not be collected from shipowners and will be borne by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The Prime Minister and his counterparts at a summit in France this week welcomed Mr Trump's "breakthrough" agreement with Tehran and underlined the need for a "robust and comprehensive" follow-up accord "that can bring peace and security for all in the region." A joint statement issued by the heads of the G7 group of leading democracies said: "We reaffirm that the right of transit passage without restrictions or tolls is the bedrock of international trade." It backed the UK-French-led effort to enable shipping to pass safely through the strait once hostilities with Iran end, by reassuring commercial operators and verifying the removal of all mines.
While Sir Keir has said the UK will play its full part in the defensive mission, he has not yet said when support could arrive.
Political Fallout
Meanwhile, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire after intensified fighting in Lebanon led planned US-Iran talks in Switzerland to be cancelled on Friday. Hitting out at the latest hold-up on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump wrote: "The war has diminished Iran! We didn't meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are finished. We'll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!"
The interim deal enabled Iran to immediately start selling its oil, with the future promise of economic sanctions being lifted, frozen assets released and access to a 300 billion dollar (£227 billion) reconstruction fund if agreement is reached on Tehran's nuclear programme. However, the agreement has sparked criticism in Washington, including among some of the US president's Republican allies, who argue the concessions go too far.
Former president Barack Obama has said it appeared the US was "worse off" now than before Mr Trump launched the war against Iran in February. He told NBC: "We've now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died. And it feels like we're back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse off." Mr Obama noted Iran had agreed not to develop nuclear weapons in the 2015 deal his administration struck with Tehran, which was derided and scrapped by Mr Trump in his first term.
