Only one corridor through the Strait of Hormuz carries Iran’s approval, the country’s Revolutionary Guards declared Thursday, putting ships on notice that the lane hugging Iran’s coastline is the sole passage Tehran recognises as legitimate.
Vessels that ignore that designation face consequences. Crossings made without clearance are “unacceptable and extremely dangerous”, the Guards — the ideological wing of Iran’s armed forces — said in a statement, adding that any ship failing to comply “will be dealt with”. The force also took aim at a separate route it claimed had been put forward by unspecified “certain authorities”, offering no further detail.
At stake is one of the planet’s busiest energy arteries. The strait, squeezed to roughly 30 kilometres (18 miles) across at its tightest point, sits between Iran and the Gulf states and normally handles about a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Iran sealed it off during the recent war, and reopening terms have become a central dispute as Tehran and Washington negotiate.
The two governments remain split over money. Iran intends to levy what it describes as maritime service fees rather than tolls, a distinction Washington rejects on the grounds that the strait is an international waterway and cannot be charged for passage. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, reinforced that position during a tour of Gulf states this week, ruling out acceptance of any tolls or fees.
A memorandum of understanding the two sides signed last week to halt the conflict allows commercial vessels to move through the strait at no cost for a 60-day window. What follows once that period lapses has yet to be settled, with talks still under way.
Adding another layer to the question of charges, Iran and Oman — which shares the strait’s coastline — said Tuesday they would jointly examine the costs tied to administering the waterway.
