Tehran – Iran and Oman are actively discussing the establishment of a permanent toll system for commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would fundamentally reshape global energy security dynamics and test the limits of international maritime law.
According to reports from regional diplomatic sources, Tehran is seeking to institutionalize what began as temporary leverage during recent military confrontations into a permanent sovereign right over the strategic waterway through which approximately 20% of global oil supply passes daily.
"Iran is pushing to transform a temporary security mechanism into permanent economic and regulatory control," explained Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. "If successful, this would represent one of the most significant shifts in maritime governance in decades."
The Strait of Hormuz, at its narrowest point just 21 miles wide, separates Iran to the north from Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), it qualifies as an international strait subject to the right of transit passage, meaning ships can pass without requiring permission from coastal states.
However, Iran and Oman are reportedly exploring legal frameworks that would impose fees for "security provision" and "environmental protection" without technically violating transit passage rights. The arrangement would mirror toll systems used in other strategic waterways, such as the Suez Canal and Panama Canal, though the legal basis differs significantly.
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. During the recent Iran-US confrontation, effectively controlled shipping through the strait by boarding vessels, inspecting cargos, and in some cases, denying passage. The experience demonstrated Iran's capacity to disrupt global energy flows, but also revealed the economic costs of doing so.

