27/04/2026
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27/04/2026
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GENEVA, Apr 27: The head of the International Maritime Organization has said there is “no legal basis” for imposing fees on vessels passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, amid rising tensions over maritime access and energy flows.
Speaking at a press conference, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said international law does not allow the introduction of taxes, customs duties, or transit charges on international straits used for global navigation.
Shipping through the narrow waterway has been heavily disrupted since late February, following escalating hostilities involving the United States and Israel against Iran. The unrest has significantly reduced oil and gas flows through the region, contributing to volatility in global energy markets.
Iran has previously signaled its intention to introduce transit fees as part of any long-term arrangement over maritime security, a move that has drawn international scrutiny.
Meanwhile, an Iranian lawmaker said the Central Bank of Iran has opened four accounts in rials, Chinese yuan, US dollars, and euros to collect proposed toll revenues linked to shipping through the strait. The funds are expected to be administered in coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, according to parliamentary discussions.
Senior MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi said parliament plans to advance a bill titled the “Hormuz Strait Security Plan,” which would formalize the toll system as law and create what he described as a “sustainable source of revenue.”
Boroujerdi also suggested that future payments could be tied to digital currency mechanisms and local currency settlements, arguing this could strengthen Iran’s financial position in international transactions.
The proposals come as the Strait of Hormuz remains a major flashpoint in global maritime security, with competing claims over freedom of navigation and economic control continuing to heighten tensions in the region.
