Dispute erupts over shipping rules and transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz
Despite the ceasefire agreement requiring the Strait of Hormuz to remain open for international commercial and energy traffic, tensions have escalated this week over how the strategic waterway should be managed.
Iran has insisted that all vessels transiting the strait must follow shipping routes designated by Tehran. Iranian authorities have also reportedly sought to impose transit fees on passing ships, warning that vessels operating outside the approved corridors may not receive security guarantees.
The move has triggered strong opposition from the United States and Gulf allies.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), issued a joint statement reaffirming that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz must remain free, unrestricted and without any requirement to pay transit fees.
The disagreement highlights growing friction between Tehran and Western-backed regional partners over control and security in one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, through which a significant portion of global energy supplies passes every day.