Iran and Oman Discuss Charging Western Ships to Pass Through the Strait of Hormuz

Iran and Oman are negotiating an arrangement to charge Western-flagged ships for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, told Kommersant. Jalali said Tehran and Muscat, which share control of the waterway, are making joint decisions on its security, and that a toll on vessels from Western countries is under discussion. The claim comes from Iranian officials and has not been confirmed by Oman, but it signals how Tehran intends to use its geographic position for leverage.

The world's importers are already adjusting to the risk. Australia will consider building its first new oil refinery in more than 60 years, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, as the Middle East war strains fuel supplies and exposes how dependent the country has become on imported refined fuel, the South China Morning Post reported. Roughly a fifth of the world's seaborne oil passes through Hormuz, and any formal charge on transit would raise costs for the buyers least aligned with Tehran.