TEHRAN, Mar 31:Iranian state media reported on Monday that a parliamentary commission approved plans to impose tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway crucial to oil and gas shipments that has been effectively closed due to the ongoing Middle East war. According to state TV, the plan includes "financial arrangements and rial toll systems" and "implementing the sovereign role of Iran," in coordination with Oman, which lies on the opposite side of the strait.
The measure also explicitly bans vessels from the United States and Israel from passing through, while prohibiting other countries from imposing sanctions on Iran. In peacetime, roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait. Since the outbreak of the war, crossings have dropped by around 95 percent, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler, impacting global energy markets.
While Iran has signaled that vessels from "friendly countries" may be allowed passage, the measure has stirred tensions internationally. Malaysian officials said on Tuesday that tankers owned by Petronas, Sapura Energy, and MISC would be exempt from any prospective tolls. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the Iranian government had confirmed no toll would be imposed on Malaysian vessels, emphasizing the countries' diplomatic ties. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim previously thanked Iranian President MasoudPezeshkian for releasing the tankers and allowing them to continue their journeys.
The situation has prompted sharp remarks from US President Donald Trump, who in a Truth Social post on Tuesday suggested that countries struggling with fuel shortages should "go get your own oil" in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the United States would not intervene. "The USA won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!" he wrote.
The European Union also weighed in, urging Iran to cease attacks on regional neighbours and engage with diplomatic efforts to reopen the strait. European Council President Antonio Costa said in a call with Pezeshkian that Iran should "stop the unacceptable attacks on countries in the region and engage positively on the diplomatic track, notably with the UN to ensure the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz." "AFP
