Iran’s toll plan for Hormuz challenges freedom of navigation
Iran has proposed that it and Oman charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz as a precondition for reopening the waterway, a move critics say would violate the principle of freedom of peaceful navigation enshrined in the UN Law of the Sea (though neither Iran nor the U.S. has ratified it, it is considered customary law). Experts warn such tolls could set a dangerous precedent and provoke diplomatic pushback, even as some argue the practical financial impact would be modest compared with the broader goal of resuming traffic that could lower oil prices. The United States opposes tolling, and Gulf producers are wary of losing leverage, all within the broader context of ongoing ceasefire discussions and regional tensions.