Tehran currently charges between $1.5 million and $2 million per ship that crosses the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian parliamentarian said, adding that these amounts are collected as "service allowance" as part of the approved strait management plan.
Mohsen Zanganeh, a member of the Planning and Budget Committee of the Iranian Parliament, said on Sunday (June 7) in remarks published by Fars News Agency that the payment mechanisms are not limited to cash transfers, but also include cryptocurrencies and commodity swaps, the value of which is calculated from the total transit fees.
Iranian officials estimate that the expected annual revenues from this collection will reach about $7.5 billion at the maximum, provided that the funds will be deposited in the public treasury under the supervision of a joint team between the Ministry of Economy and the Supreme National Security Council.
Tehran justifies: 'service allowance', not fees
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stressed that the fees charged by Tehran from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz are not a "transit tax" or fees imposed on the right of innocent passage, but are classified as "logistics and navigational services" provided by Iranian institutions to ensure the safety of navigation in the strait.
These fees are included under specific services that include guiding ships through safe passages, avoiding natural obstacles, quick intervention by naval forces and support ships in case of malfunctions or accidents, monitoring pollution and dealing with any oil spill that threatens the marine environment, Abadi said.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in particular article 26, prohibits the imposition of any fees on foreign vessels merely for transiting through international straits, and permits the collection of only for specific services that have actually been requested from the vessel, making the Iranian measure, in its general form, the subject of widespread international rejection.
The United States and the Gulf states believe that the Iranian characterization is nothing but a political cover to impose a new reality in the strait, and a means to blackmail shipping companies and secure financial flows in hard currencies, warning that any financial dealings with Tehran in this context may expose ships and companies to severe US sanctions.
Pursuit Movement in the Strait of Hormuz
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is witnessing a sharp and unprecedented decline, as the number of ships passing through has decreased to only between 7 and 24 ships per day, compared to the normal rates that ranged between 107 and 135 ships per day, due to the naval blockade and the escalating security escalation in the region.
Data from international tracking platforms such as Marine Traffic and Lloyd's List shows that actual movement is severely limited, while Iran continues to announce the passage of 24 to 35 ships a day after obtaining prior authorization.
Independent estimates indicate that there are between 1,500 and 2,000 ships stuck in the waterway and nearby ports, unable to make safe passage. Unusual levels of electronic jamming were also detected on navigation systems, with fake data appearing for more than 120 ships showing irrational speeds of up to 50 and 100 knots without actually moving from their positions, reflecting the extensive use of electronic warfare techniques.