Vessels transiting through the Gulf of Oman are pictured off the coast of Muscat on July 25, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
Since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following the start of the U.S.-Israeli offensive against the country in February and the regional war that followed, the waterway has become one of the Islamic Republic’s main bargaining tools and a central theatre of confrontation. Iran intends to retain control over this strategic passage for both security and financial reasons: by blocking the strait, it can exert pressure on the United States and its regional allies while paving the way to levy transit fees on vessels.Washington and the Gulf monarchies, for their part, reject any mandatory payments and uphold the principle of freedom of navigation. U.S. President Donald Trump had nevertheless considered, in early July, imposing a 20% U.S. "reimbursement fee" on cargoes transiting the strait.It is in this context that the Sultanate of...
Since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following the start of the U.S.-Israeli offensive against the country in February and the regional war that followed, the waterway has become one of the Islamic Republic’s main bargaining tools and a central theatre of confrontation. Iran intends to retain control over this strategic passage for both security and financial reasons: by blocking the strait, it can exert pressure on the United States and its regional allies while paving the way to levy transit fees on vessels.Washington and the Gulf monarchies, for their part, reject any mandatory payments and uphold the principle of freedom of navigation. U.S. President Donald Trump had nevertheless considered, in early July, imposing a 20% U.S. "reimbursement fee" on cargoes transiting the strait.It is in this context that the Sultanate...
