Iran Deploys 'Maritime Insurance' Toll to Tighten Strait of Hormuz Control
ISW and CTP report Iran is formalizing a toll system framed as maritime insurance to cement control over the Strait of Hormuz while promoting overland/rail routes through China, Pakistan, and Iraq—routes unlikely to match Gulf shipping in volume. Iran signals negotiations with PRC/Japan/Pakistan and possibly Europe, though access for the US-led Project Freedom remains restricted; CENTCOM says 78 ships redirected and four interdicted to enforce the blockade. Israel–Lebanon talks continue on Hezbollah’s status, but major disagreements persist. Overall, Iran uses incentives and coercion to normalize strait control amid ongoing Western diplomacy and regional talks.
