Iranian committee advances draft law to charge ships for Strait of Hormuz services

Draft law says ships of countries permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz will pay for Tehran's services.

Iranian parliamentary committee approves provision to charge ships in Hormuz Iranian parliament advanced a provision in a draft law on Sunday allowing Tehran to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission approved Article 3 of its "Strategic Action to Ensure the Security and Progress of the Strait of Hormuz" plan, Iran's IRNA news agency reported. Based on the article, a fee will be charged for services "including maritime, environmental, fueling under special conditions, insurance, safety, and other services provided in the Strait of Hormuz." Committee spokesperson Hassan Qashqavi said the fees would be collected from vessels belonging to countries permitted to pass through the strait and paid in Iranian rials or another currency. He added that the draft legislation takes into account the rights of states bordering the Strait. "The Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz have their own rules and conditions, and in this regard, after accepting the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea, Oman immediately issued a political declaration emphasizing that the provisions of this convention should not violate the country's national sovereignty and national security," the article said. The draft law will now go to a full vote in parliament on its provisions and overall passage. If approved, it will then go to the Guardian Council, which checks it for compliance with the Constitution and Islamic principles. Before the war, passage through the Strait of Hormuz was free, but Iran now insists on charging fees. The US rejects the imposition of such fees, while President Donald Trump recently posted a map on social media, labelling the Strait of Hormuz as "new US territory."