Iran considers levying transit fees on ships in Hormuz Strait, lawmaker says

Iran is considering a proposal to levy transit fees on vessels passing ​through the Strait of Hormuz, a lawmaker ‌said on Thursday, a potential bid to monetise Tehran's newfound grip over the critical waterway through ​which a fifth of global oil ​and liquefied gas passes.

Since the start of ⁠the US-Israeli war on Iran, Tehran has ​disrupted maritime transit through the strait for vessels ​it says are linked to its war adversaries and their allies.

According to the Iranian Students' News Agency, the ​lawmaker said parliament was considering a bill ​under which countries using the strait for shipping, energy ‌transit ⁠and food supplies would be required to pay tolls and taxes to Iran.

An adviser to Iran's supreme leader said "a new regime for ​the Strait ​of Hormuz" ⁠will follow the war's eventual end, allowing Tehran to apply maritime ​restrictions on states that have sanctioned ​it.

"By ⁠using the strategic position of the Strait of Hormuz, we can sanction (the West) and prevent ⁠their ​ships from passing through ​this waterway," Mohammad Mokhber said on Thursday, according to Mehr ​news agency.

On Feb 28, 2025, US and Israel preemptively attack on Iran. Iran fired drones and missiles on Isreal and US military basis and installations in UAE, Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries. 

Tehran also disrupted oil tankers at the Strait of Hormuz, an energy artery responsible for 20 per cent oil and gas flow from Gulf to other parts of the world. 

The closure of Hormuz causing a near standstill in commercial shipping and a surge in energy prices worldwide. It has also signalled plans to impose tolls or restrictions on vessels transiting the strait, leveraging its strategic position amid the conflict. The disruption has heightened fears of a prolonged energy shock and broader regional instability, with global powers weighing military and diplomatic options to restore access to the key waterway.