Iran Considers Toll Plan for Ships in the Strait of Hormuz

Somayeh Rafiei, a member of Iran’s Parliament, shared with the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) on Thursday that some lawmakers are weighing a proposal to impose tolls on vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. This comes amid Iran’s ongoing, aggressive actions against international shipping since the onset of Operation Epic Fury.

Rafiei stated, “Parliament is moving forward with a plan where countries would be required to pay tolls and taxes to the Islamic Republic for using the Strait of Hormuz as a secure route for transporting energy and food.”

She further emphasized, “Security in the straits is maintained with strength, authority, and dignity by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and nations must pay taxes in exchange for this security.”

This legislative initiative follows Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s comments earlier this week, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz “will not revert to its pre-war condition.”

According to international law, Iran does not have the authority to block or impose taxes on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is governed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which ensures the right for all vessels and aircraft to transit important waterways, even during times of conflict.

UNCLOS has often been overlooked, even though many countries have recognized or signed it—including the U.S. and Iran—without ratification. Despite the majority of the international community respecting this framework, nations like Iran have disregarded it in the past, drawing parallels to instances involving China. A notable case in 2016 determined that China had not consented to the use of force while asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Currently, there is no established international law permitting Iran to target civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz or to enforce taxes and tolls on such ships. Furthermore, its neighboring states, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, also lack jurisdiction over this vital waterway. Iran has no legal basis for threats to deploy mines in the strait, a tactic it has frequently suggested over the years.

Iran has attempted to navigate these legal concerns by claiming its attacks are only aimed at ships owned by its adversaries, namely the U.S. and Israel. Yet, as often happens in conflicts, “international law” can appear unclear.

A report by the South China Morning Post on Friday mentioned that Iran announced plans to “introduce inspection procedures and elevated transit fees” for vessels trying to safely pass through the Strait.

On another note, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is currently working on a “safe maritime framework” aimed at rescuing commercial ships trapped in the Persian Gulf due to the strait’s closures. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, during a special meeting on Thursday, expressed that the organization is “prepared to engage in negotiations to set up a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of all trapped vessels and crews.” However, the Iranian representatives present at the meeting did not respond to this proposal.