Iran says it will begin charging service fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that has already drawn opposition from the United States.
The announcement was made on Saturday by Iran’s ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, during the World Peace Forum in Beijing.
Fazli said countries that stood by Iran during difficult times would enjoy preferential treatment under the new arrangement.
The decision comes shortly after Iran and the United States reached a temporary peacetime understanding that allowed commercial ships to use the strategic waterway free of charge for 60 days.
According to the ambassador, Iran is working with neighbouring Oman to introduce a new framework for managing traffic through the strait, part of which lies within Iranian territorial waters.
He insisted the charges should not be seen as transit tolls but as fees to cover security operations, vessel monitoring and environmental protection.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important shipping routes, carrying roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
The waterway recently became a flashpoint during the conflict involving Iran, with its temporary blockade sending global energy prices sharply higher before peace negotiations resumed.
Washington has rejected Iran’s proposal to impose the new charges, although no further details have been released on how or when the fees will be implemented.
