Iran vows special toll concessions to China as it prepares Hormuz fee system

Iran announced it will grant China special treatment for its vessels once Tehran installs a toll system for commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Ambassador Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told a Beijing forum that China will enjoy "considerations" as a friendly nation, and the same will apply to any country declaring friendship with Tehran. Iran says the strait, a key global trade artery, will stay under its control while it negotiates a peace agreement with the United States to end the war that began in February. The plan involves cooperation with Oman, which shares the strait, and recent attempts by eight ships to leave the Persian Gulf near Oman’s coast have turned back, underscoring the difficulty of reopening the waterway. While the United States and Gulf Arab states argue Iran cannot impose fees, European sources expect ships will eventually have to pay.

In a related development, France and the United Kingdom, together with Oman, issued a joint statement pledging to ensure safe navigation in Omani waters and to deploy a multinational mission to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted the strait’s vital role for the world economy and the need to restore secure passage for all nations.