Iran exempts vessels from India, Iraq, Qatar and China from Strait of Hormuz restrictions

Iran has exempted merchant ships from India, China, Iraq, and Qatar from transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian lawmaker Amir Hayat-Moghaddam. Tehran is facilitating Indian shipping to import medicines while seeking political support from Beijing. Transit fees are being collected from Indian and Chinese vessels. The exemptions follow severe shipping disruptions caused by the US-Iran conflict, which has pushed Brent crude prices to $102 a barrel and resulted in the deaths of at least 15 Indian seafarers.

Iranian exemptions for foreign vessels

• ▪Amir Hayat-Moghaddam stated that Iran exempted Chinese vessels from Strait of Hormuz restrictions to secure Beijing's political support
• ▪Iran exempted vessels from India, China, Iraq, and Qatar from transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz
• ▪Amir Hayat-Moghaddam stated that Iran collects transit fees from Indian and Chinese vessels, allows Qatari vessels free passage, and did not specify fee terms for Iraqi ships
• ▪Amir Hayat-Moghaddam stated that Iran exempted Indian vessels from Strait of Hormuz restrictions to facilitate medicine transportation and imports from India to Iran

United States military strikes against Iran

• ▪United States Senator Chris Murphy and other Democratic lawmakers publicly stated they reviewed plans for the potential resumption of United States military strikes against Iran following the November 3, 2026 mid-term elections
• ▪The United States and Israel jointly launched military strikes against Iran on February 28, 2026, leading Tehran to restrict passage through the Strait of Hormuz
• ▪United States military forces launched air strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island in the early hours of November 3, 2026

Casualties among Indian seafarers

• ▪An attack by an unidentified aerial object on the Indian-flagged dhow MSV Al-Jusufi off Oman's coast killed Indian sailor Gandhar Nahim Ajij, while crew members were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard
• ▪At least 15 Indian seafarers have been killed in attacks on merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz since February 2026, among 24 total Indian fatalities in the broader West Asia conflict

India's energy dependence on the Strait of Hormuz

• ▪India imports roughly 90 percent of its crude oil requirements, with approximately 30 percent of those crude imports currently transiting through the Strait of Hormuz
• ▪India relies on the Strait of Hormuz for 90 percent of its liquefied petroleum gas imports and over 50 percent of its liquefied natural gas imports from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates

Economic impact of shipping disruptions

• ▪The global fuel price surge resulting from the Strait of Hormuz crisis caused by the US-Iran conflict cost India an additional $22 billion within a total global fuel expenditure increase of $330 billion
• ▪Brent crude oil futures reached approximately $102 a barrel by November 3, 2026, rising from around $60 a barrel earlier in 2026 due to Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions