Middle East crisis Strait of Hormuz

Europe opens up to some paid services in the Strait of Hormuz

Europe is considering a system in which Iran would be allowed to charge for some navigation services in the Strait of Hormuz, inspired by the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia, reports The Guardian.

The proposal has been raised by several British ministers, among others. However, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy emphasizes that these must be voluntary fees, and that they must be approved by the UN agency IMO, which is responsible for international maritime regulations.

Oman, which controls most of the waters in the Strait of Hormuz, opposes the mandatory fees that Iran wants to introduce. The foreign ministers of Oman and Iran are meeting today to discuss the strait, and Omani and British lawyers have drawn up a proposal for a system similar to the one in the Strait of Malacca, which they have offered to explain to the Iranians.

 Report: Oman Proposes Two Shipping Routes in the Strait

Oman has developed a proposal for how shipping through the Strait of Hormuz should be handled, a source with insight tells CNN.

According to the proposal, two shipping routes, one northern and one southern, are to be established in the strait. In the southern one, which runs through Omani territorial waters, free passage will prevail just as before the war. In the northern one, which runs through Iranian waters, Iran's approval will be required to be approved - but no tariffs will be levied.

The foreign ministers of the two countries met on Saturday to discuss the strait. According to CBS News, it did not result in any decisions.