KOR
▲ Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian ambassador to China reaffirmed on July 4 (local time) that Iran plans to impose transit fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the country is considering special treatment for friendly nations, including China.
According to Bloomberg and AFP, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Iranian ambassador to China, stated this position at the World Peace Forum held in Beijing on July 4.
Ambassador Fazli stated, "As a country for which the Strait of Hormuz is part of our territorial waters, we will certainly impose service fees." However, he argued that these are not "tolls," but rather compensation for ensuring the safety of passing vessels, monitoring, and addressing environmental impacts caused by the operation of large ships.
"We will certainly consider special treatment for countries that have been friendly to us and stood by us, especially during difficult times," Fazli said, explicitly identifying China as one such friendly nation.
These remarks come as Iran and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), with the normalization of the Strait of Hormuz emerging as one of the key issues in follow-up negotiations.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that vessel tracking data showed ships attempting to exit the Persian Gulf via the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz between July 3 and July 4 made sudden U-turns.
More than eight vessels, including oil tankers, bulk carriers, and car carriers, made U-turns. Bloomberg explained that among them, one crude oil tanker, two petroleum product tankers, and one bulk carrier changed their routes and exited the Persian Gulf through lanes closer to the Iranian coast.
The exact reason for the vessels' sudden change in direction has not been confirmed.
However, Iran has repeatedly insisted that vessels must pass through the strait only via approved lanes designated by Iran and has issued radio warnings to ships attempting to use other routes.
Some vessels are known to have been attacked by Iran after ignoring these warnings and continuing their voyage.
According to Bloomberg, the number of raw material carriers passing through the Strait of Hormuz since June 29 has averaged about 34 per day.
While this is a clear increase compared to the period during the war, it remains far below the levels seen before the war began on February 28.
Data from the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), a U.S.-led multinational naval coalition in the Middle East, shows that 65 vessels passed through the strait along the Omani route between June 30 and July 1, with 59 of them receiving U.S. support.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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