Iran and Oman Eye Tolls for Strait of Hormuz Passage

The proposal has met immediate resistance from Washington. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the Omani ambassador previously assured him that no such tolling plans exist, labeling the prospect of transit fees a non-starter. Despite these denials, reports suggest that Iran is pushing for the right to collect fees as part of indirect negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war.

Since hostilities began on February 28, the strategic chokepoint has seen tanker traffic plummet by 90% to 95%. This collapse has removed roughly 13 million barrels per day of crude and fuel from global markets. Cargoes that do traverse the strait increasingly operate in dark mode, with vessels disabling transponders to obscure their movements. Once a tactic restricted to sanctions-evading tankers, this practice has become standard for the majority of commercial traffic, making the flow of energy supplies through the region nearly impossible to track reliably.