The foreign ministers of Iran and Oman on Thursday emphasized the need to continue bilateral coordination of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Oman’s head of diplomacy, Badr al-Busajdi, emphasized that they will not collect fees for crossing this key waterway, although Oman has admitted in the past that they are negotiating the costs that they could request reimbursement for services provided in the management of the Strait of Hormuz. TASR informs about it according to the agencies AFP and Reuters.
- Iran and Oman emphasized the need to continue coordinating maritime traffic through the strait.
- Oman has announced that it will not charge fees for crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Abbas Arákci and Badr al-Búsajdi discussed recent developments in the region by phone, including maritime agreements in the strait and temporary measures set for a period of 60 days, according to a statement on Arákci’s Telegram account.
Marine charges
Tehran has long said it plans to introduce service charges for ships sailing through the strait, but says it would not be a toll. Iran and Oman, on the other side of the strait, announced on Tuesday that they would review the costs they could seek reimbursement for services provided in managing the Strait of Hormuz. They insist they have sovereignty over this strategic waterway.
The United States rejects this. On Tuesday, after arriving in the United Arab Emirates, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that no country may introduce tolls or fees in the Strait of Hormuz, as it is an international waterway.
US reaction
“If we accept the fact that it is possible to charge for the use of an international waterway just because it is near your territory, then it would spread like a contagion around the world,” he declared on Thursday.
“Future agreements regarding the strait will not include the introduction of any transit fees,” Bousajdi said Thursday after a meeting of regional ministers with Rubio in Bahrain.
Memorandum s USA
Last week, Tehran announced that it would begin collecting the fees after a 60-day transition period, which is enshrined in a memorandum of understanding with the United States. The document says that Iran and Oman will negotiate with other Gulf countries on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz and maritime services.
