‘War has costs’: Iran begins charging select vessels up to $2m for Hormuz transit
Several countries are coordinating directly with Tehran for safe passage as the US-Israeli war drags on for a fourth week
Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi revealed on 22 March that Tehran has begun charging transit fees of up to $2 million for some vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz, describing the move as a shift toward a new “sovereign regime” over the strategic waterway.
“Collecting $2 million as transit fees from some vessels crossing the strait reflects Iran’s strength,” Boroujerdi told the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), adding that “war has costs.”
Boroujerdi, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the toll reflects Tehran’s assertion of control after decades of established norms governing the passage, norms now upended by the US-Israeli attack on Iran.
Payments are reportedly being requested on an ad hoc basis, with some ships already complying, effectively creating an informal toll system on one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
The mechanism remains unclear, including how payments are processed and in what currency, as officials familiar with the matter say the system is not yet standardized.
Iranian officials say the measure is part of a broader wartime approach, linking the fees directly to the financial burden of ongoing military escalation and disruptions to maritime security.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the strait remains open, but only for countries deemed non-hostile, warning that access is conditional under current conditions.
Maritime traffic through the strait has already slowed to a trickle, with US–Israeli attacks on Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes, vessel incidents, surging insurance costs, and escalating security risks disrupting tanker flows and deterring transit.
Iran says the is allowing passage for non-aggressor states while restricting vessels linked to countries involved in attacks, with officials offering coordinated safe transit and confirming that several nations’ vessels continue to pass under Iranian supervision.
So far, at least 5 countries, including China, India, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Thailand, have directly coordinated or negotiated with Iranian authorities for safe transit, with Iran extending the invitation for safe transit to a number of other countries.
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