Iran to Impose Rial Charges on Vessels Navigating Strait of Hormuz, Says Lawmaker
The Iranian parliament is reportedly drafting a motion to govern future transits through the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. The proposed regulation mandates that vessels navigating this critical passage would be required to pay tolls in Iranian rial currency.
Ebrahim Azizi, the chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in Iran’s parliament, announced on Monday that the parliament is formulating an 11-article motion that includes imposing tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Azizi informed state television that the proposal has been deliberated and concluded within his committee and is set to become law upon ratification in a vote by the main chamber of the Iranian parliament.
He stated that the motion includes intelligent and thoughtfully crafted measures inspired by a directive from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei. Last month, Khamenei emphasized the necessity for Iran to implement a new governance system in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Azizi, the measures encompass a comprehensive prohibition on the transit of vessels owned by or associated with the Israeli regime. Additionally, there will be restrictions imposed on the passage of ships linked to hostile nations and their affiliates.
The proposal demands that countries responsible for economic harm to Iran, such as through sanctions or freezing assets in foreign banks, provide compensation to Iran. This compensation would come in the form of toll fees collected from their ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
He stated that the motion mandates any financial proceeds derived from the Strait be paid in Iranian rial.
The latest motion arises as Iran maintains its dominance over the transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a position it has held since the onset of the US-Israeli hostilities against Iran in late February.
Iran remains in control of the strategic strait, as hostilities have subsided since early April after a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan.
