Key facts
- Iran and Oman are reportedly planning to jointly impose a service fee for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
- This joint fee plan contradicts a prior US-Iran agreement for free passage through the waterway.
- Iran rejected a French proposal for a joint demining mission in the Strait of Hormuz.
- US President Donald Trump had previously threatened military action against Oman if it pursued a tolling agreement with Iran.
- Oman seeks a voluntary fee, while Iran insists on a mandatory one.
Iran and Oman are reportedly planning to jointly impose a service fee for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route, according to The New York Times. This move appears to circumvent a prior 14-point plan agreed upon by the US and Iran, which stipulated free passage for commercial vessels. The plan, valid for a 60-day negotiation period, is set to expire, prompting Iran and Oman to develop a new business model for the waterway.
Sources indicate that Oman prefers the fee to be voluntary, while Iran insists on a mandatory charge. Iran's deputy foreign minister stated that Tehran would impose its own fees if an agreement with Oman is not reached. This development follows a previous rejection by Iran of a French proposal, led by President Emmanuel Macron, for a joint demining mission in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran cited a prior agreement with US President Donald Trump as the basis for its sole responsibility in demining the waterway.
Earlier, Donald Trump had threatened military action against Oman if it collaborated with Iran on imposing transit fees. Trump emphasized that the strait is international waters and must remain open to all. Despite these threats, Oman, a long-standing US ally known for its mediating role, did not publicly respond to Trump's remarks but reportedly assured US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent that it had no plans for tolling the Strait. Oman's stance has been viewed as an outlier by some Gulf states, but its approach is now seen as vindicated following a ceasefire perceived as a victory for Iran.