Iran has proposed introducing charges for specific services for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would allow it to raise revenue without presenting the payment as a toll. The plan, being developed with Oman, is designed to maximise political and legal support, according to Iranian officials.
The proposal comes as Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the US seizure of Iranian-linked tankers as “piracy and armed robbery”. Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the US actions “strike at the heart of international law”. Iran has framed the plan as a solution to its demands for ending the conflict, including an end to its effective blockade of the strait and the US Navy’s counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
A bill titled the Strait of Hormuz Management Plan is passing through the Iranian parliament, leaving the issue of tolls open. Nearly 20% of the world’s oil is transported through the strait, which is only 21 nautical miles wide at its narrowest point. Iran has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) but is trying to present the charges in language compliant with the convention.
The UK and other European countries oppose the charges, arguing that freedom of navigation means navigation must be free. They cite Article 26 of UNCLOS, which prohibits coastal states from levying payments on ships simply for passing through territorial waters, though charges for specific services such as pilotage or security are allowed if non-discriminatory.
Iran claims its restrictions are not a general blockade but a preventive measure against hostile vessels in its territorial waters, acting in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. It says domestic laws mean the right of innocent passage does not apply to vessels engaged in hostile acts.
