Iran denies imposing fees on the Strait of Hormuz and confirms the provision of navigational services

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei announced his country's categorical denial of imposing any transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need to scrutinize the selection of terms used in this sensitive context. He explained during his weekly press conference that what Tehran is demanding is to cover the costs of navigational services and environmental protection measures in the Strait, the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, stressing that these measures are in line with international law serve national interests and regional security. The Iranian official described cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman to develop a safe passage guarantee protocol as a "responsible measure" aimed at serving the public interest of the international community, rejecting any European proposals to manage the strait and considering that this is the exclusive competence of the two coastal states. These statements come in light of US warnings from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump of any system for collecting fees, while Negotiations are continuing to reopen this strategic corridor through which one-third of the crude oil trade and one-fifth of the global LNG trade passes. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for energy exports from the Gulf countries to global markets, especially Asian ones, which rely heavily on oil and gas imports from the region, making any disruption in navigation through it a direct impact on international energy markets.