Iran's new Hormuz rules: Will other nations accept them?
Until the conflict began, the narrow channel, through which about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies are shipped, remained toll-free and safe for vessels
The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, has drawn global attention since Israel and the United States began their war on Iran in February.
Until the conflict began, the narrow channel, through which about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies are shipped, remained toll-free and safe for vessels. The strait is shared by Iran and Oman and is not classified as international waters.
After US and Israeli strikes, Iran retaliated by attacking what it described as "enemy" merchant ships in the strait, effectively halting passage, stranding vessels, and triggering one of the worst global energy distribution crises, reports Al Jazeera.
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Tehran continued to refuse to fully reopen the strait despite threats from US President Donald Trump to bomb Iranian infrastructure. However, Trump stepped back after a two-week ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, was announced. The truce followed a 10-point peace proposal from Iran that Trump described as "workable".
As part of the ceasefire, Iran has outlined terms to guide control of the strait. The US has not formally acknowledged these ahead of talks set in Islamabad.
Analysts say Iran's continued control is likely to be unpopular with Washington and others.
During the crisis, only a limited number of vessels from countries considered friendly to Iran, or those paying tolls, were allowed safe passage.
At least two payments were reportedly made in Chinese yuan, a move seen as both a way to avoid US sanctions and reduce reliance on the US dollar. China already pays for most of Iran's oil in yuan.
Who is controlling the strait now?
On Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said Iran would grant safe passage through the strait during the ceasefire in "coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations".
On Wednesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a map of the strait showing a safe route for ships to follow. The map appears to direct ships further north towards the Iranian coast and away from the traditional route closer to the coast of Oman.
In a statement, the IRGC said all vessels must use the new map for navigation due to "the likelihood of the presence of various types of anti-ship mines in the main traffic zone".
It is unclear whether Iran is collecting toll fees during the ceasefire period.
However, Trump said on Tuesday the US would be "helping with the traffic buildup" in the strait and that the US army would be "hanging around" as the negotiations go on.
The Strait will be "OPEN & SAFE", he posted on his Truth Social media site on Thursday, adding that US troops would not leave the area, and threatening to resume attacks if the talks don't go well.
It's not known to what extent US troops are directing what happens in the strait now.
Delhi-based maritime analyst C Uday Bhaskar told Al Jazeera that there is a lot of "uncertainty" about who can sail through the strait, and that only between three and five ships have transited since the war was paused.
How does Iran's 10-point plan affect the Strait?
Iran's broader 10-point plan includes demands for a permanent halt to US and Israeli attacks, lifting of sanctions, and allowing Iran to retain control over Hormuz. The plan is yet to be fully published.
Iranian media report that Tehran is considering charging up to $2 million per vessel or $1 per barrel of oil transported. Officials say such revenues would be used to rebuild infrastructure damaged in the conflict. Oman has rejected the proposal, citing international maritime agreements that prohibit such fees.
Revenues raised would be used to rebuild military and civilian infrastructure damaged by US-Israeli strikes, Tehran said.
Oman has rejected the idea. Transport minister Said Al-Maawali said on Wednesday that the Omanis previously "signed all international maritime transport agreements" which bar taking fees.
What does international law say about tolls on shipping?
Critics of Iran's plan to charge tolls say it violates international law guiding safe maritime passage, and should not be part of a final ceasefire agreement.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) says levies cannot be charged on ships sailing through international straits or territorial seas.
The law allows coastal states to collect fees for services rendered, such as navigation assistance or port use, but not for passage itself.
Neither the US nor Iran has ratified that particular convention, however.
Even if they had, there could be ways to get around this law anyway. Analyst Bhaskar told Al Jazeera that if Iran instead charged fees to de-mine the strait and make it safe for passage again, that could be allowable under maritime laws.
There is no precedent in recent history of countries officially taxing passage through international straits or waterways.
In October 2024, a United Nations Security Council report alleged that the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen were collecting "illegal fees" from shipping companies to allow vessels to pass through the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, where it was targeting ships linked to Israel during the Gaza war.
Last week, a top adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei suggested the Houthis could shut the Bab al-Mandeb shipping route again in light of the war on Iran.
