Iranian Negotiator: "Strait of Hormuz Fees to Be Imposed After 60-Day Negotiation Period"

While U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to end the war with Iran, Tehran has reaffirmed its stance that it will resume charging fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz once the 60-day "free passage" period expires.

According to reports from AFP and Reuters on the 17th (local time), Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and head of the Iranian negotiating team, stated in an interview with state television that "the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war status."

He emphasized, "Iran holds sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz, and it is only natural that we collect fees for the services we provide."

However, Ghalibaf added, "This does not mean we are acting in a way that contradicts international law or maritime navigation."

These remarks come amid significant uncertainty regarding how control of the Strait of Hormuz and the issue of transit fees will be resolved after the 60-day main negotiation period concludes.

Article 5 of the MOU specifies that "Iran will do its utmost to ensure that merchant vessels traveling from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, or vice versa, can pass safely without any cost for only 60 days," limiting the period of free passage to the 60-day negotiation window.

Furthermore, another sentence in Article 5 states that "Iran will engage in dialogue with Oman and others to define the future management and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz," suggesting the possibility that Iran intends to exercise control in the future.

Therefore, it appears that Iran intends to use phrases such as "with no charge for 60 days only" as a basis to argue that it can collect fees from civilian vessels once that period ends.

Analysts suggest that this content is expected to spark new controversy, as it contradicts previous statements by President Trump that the Strait of Hormuz would be "completely free and open with no tolls whatsoever."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.