New Delhi, May 29: Iran has announced that ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz will soon be required to pay for navigation, security, and related maritime services, ending decades of free support provided by Tehran in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
In an interview with Newspaper Agency ANI, Iran’s Ambassador to India Dr. Mohammad Fathali said the strait forms part of the territorial waters of both Iran and Oman, and that “under the new conditions, these services and facilities will no longer be free, and fees will be charged.”
He attributed current instability in the region to “warmongering actions of the United States and the Zionist regime,” stating that their policies have endangered regional and global energy security.“The Strait of Hormuz was one of the safest transit routes before this war began,” he said.
Fathali clarified that the move is not a toll on passage itself but a standard practice for technical and maritime services. “Many important international straits charge for transit services, maritime piloting and security. Iran has been providing these services free for decades,” he noted.
Quad Reaffirms Commitment to Freedom of Navigation
The announcement comes amid wider geopolitical concern over maritime security. A joint statement issued after the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting reiterated support for diplomatic efforts in West Asia and called for lasting regional peace.The ministers emphasised adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and stressed the need for the uninterrupted flow of global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.They condemned attacks on commercial vessels and opposed any measures inconsistent with UNCLOS, including the imposition of tolls.
US Sanctions and Rising Tensions
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated since the West Asia conflict began on February 28. On Wednesday, the United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), accusing Tehran of using it to “extort” vessels and direct revenue to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The PGSA established earlier this month is designed to regulate and monitor maritime operations in the Strait. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed that the PGSA’s official account on X is now active, signalling the operationalisation of the new body.
According to the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the PGSA is listed under the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) sanctions list as part of Washington’s intensified pressure campaign on Iran amid ongoing regional tensions.