Tehran says the Strait of Hormuz will be opened. The new conditions invoked by Iran's ambassador to Moscow
The Strait of Hormuz will be opened, but under new conditions to be set by Iran and Oman, including a transit fee, Iran's ambassador to Russia said on Monday.
Strait of Hormuz PHOTO: Shutterstock
The US-Israeli war against Iran has greatly reduced the transit of oil through the strait, where before the conflict about a fifth of the world's oil transited. A few oil tankers have managed to leave the Gulf recently, but the transit of oil and liquefied natural gas is still severely restricted.
“Of course, this strait will be opened, but under new conditions to be established by the Iranian and Omani authorities”the Iranian ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, told the Russian daily Izvestia in an interview published on Monday.
“We understand that Iran and Oman provide certain services related to this strait. And they will be charged for these services.”he said, without giving details.
Iran argues that a permanent peace deal should allow it to levy tolls on ships transiting the strait, which would vary depending on the type of ship, its cargo and prevailing conditions.
This position is vehemently contested by the US president, Donald Trump. In May, the United States warned Oman not to engage in any effort with Iran to impose any tariffs, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the time that Oman's ambassador to Washington had assured him there were no plans to impose such tariffs.
However, on Monday, Israel declared that it had struck military targets in western and central Iran, even after Donald Trump apparently told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from further attacks.
Japan, which before the war imported about 95 percent of the Middle East's oil needs, says it paid no duty after an oil tanker it owned passed through the Strait of Hormuz in May.
