Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz

Iran: Friendly countries to be given special treatment in Hormuz

Iran will eventually charge “service fees” for passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This is what Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iran's ambassador to China, said at the World Peace Forum in Beijing, according to AFP.

“We will definitely consider special treatment for countries that have been friendly to us, especially those that have stood by us during difficult times,” he said.

Fazli claims that these are not tariffs, but fees to manage security in the strait, monitor ship traffic and “manage the environmental consequences of the massive number of ships.”

According to the agreement reached between the US and Iran on June 17, commercial ships will be allowed to pass through the strait without a fee for 60 days. What happens after that is unclear, but the US has firmly opposed Iran charging fees.

Great Britain, France and Oman in pact on Hormuz

Oman has agreed with France and Britain to cooperate to keep its waters in the Persian Gulf navigable, CNBC reports. In a joint statement, the leaders of the two European countries say they are ready to launch a major operation to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

France has already sent minesweeping ships to the Middle East.

Oman is located south of the Strait of Hormuz and has played an important role in the diplomacy to make the strait open to traffic again.