Iran

NPR - Iran is formalizing a system that will require ships to pay transit fees to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This move is part of a broader action by Iran to assert its control over the vital waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes.

Shipping analysts and crisis management groups that NPR's Jackie Northam spoke with say that the process begins with government-to-government negotiations. A senior Iranian lawmaker suggested that fees could reach $2 million per vessel. Some ships, including those from India, Pakistan and China, have negotiated diplomatic deals. Iran will not allow any ship with links to the U.S. or Israel to pass through the waterway. Analysts tell Northam that they expect to see some movement in the energy crisis, but it will be slow, and the situation remains precarious.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper hosted a virtual call with international leaders from more than 40 countries to explore ways to reopen the Strait. The meeting followed Trump’s recent remarks urging other countries to take more action to unblock the vital shipping route. The U.S. and Israel were not involved. Officials discussed both diplomatic and economic measures their countries could implement now and after the fighting ceases to help secure the shipping route, according to NPR’s Fatima Al-Kassab. The meeting focused on strategies like applying more United Nations pressure on Iran and rejecting Iran’s attempts to impose tolls on passing ships.

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