Oman: Future arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz "do not involve imposing fees"

Capital cities – Agencies: Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi confirmed yesterday that future arrangements concerning the Strait of Hormuz do not involve imposing any transit fees. During the Gulf-US ministerial meeting held in Bahrain, the Sultanate of Oman reaffirmed its support for the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran, and emphasized the importance of ensuring the success of its objectives in achieving the desired peace and restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, guaranteeing its safe and uninterrupted flow. Al Busaidi noted that, as a littoral state of the strait, Oman bears a special responsibility to support international efforts aimed at securing maritime navigation, in accordance with its duties and obligations under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He also stressed that “future arrangements related to the strait do not involve imposing any transit fees,” as reported by the Oman News Agency. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned yesterday that any transit through the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon obtaining permission from Iran and using the route designated by it, pledging to take “appropriate measures” against ships that violate this directive. The IRGC emphasized in a statement that “the only permitted route for transit through the Strait of Hormuz is the one announced by the Islamic Republic of Iran.”