On July 5, 2026, Iran’s ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, revealed that ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz will incur new fees. However, he assured that China and other 'friendly' countries would receive 'special considerations' regarding these charges during a speech at the World Peace Forum in Beijing.
The announcement follows a recent agreement between Iran and the United States, which allowed commercial ships to pass through the vital waterway without charges for a period of 60 days. The future fee structure remains uncertain, as the US has indicated that Iran will not be able to impose tolls under any final settlement.
New Fee Structure for Hormuz Transit
Fazli emphasized that while Iran would charge service fees for vessels passing through the strait, these fees should not be classified as tolls. He stated, 'These new arrangements will be concerning guaranteeing the security of passage through the Straits of Hormuz, supervision of the passage of the vessels … and also guaranteeing and dealing with the environmental consequences of the massive number of ships.'
In his remarks, Fazli noted that Iran is collaborating with Oman to develop new arrangements for managing the strait, which is crucial for global oil and gas supplies. The strait accounts for approximately 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, highlighting its strategic importance.
