Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz faces disruption as Iran and Oman negotiate transit and service fees, exploiting a loophole in a June 17, 2026 U.S.-Iran memorandum that only bans tolls for 60 days. While the U.S. conducts demining operations along a southern Omani corridor, low-level military skirmishes persist. Falling oil prices to $72 a barrel have pressured Gulf states to secure export routes, prompting Saudi Arabia and the UAE to bypass Washington to make direct diplomatic deals with Tehran.
Iran Strait toll proposals
- ▪Oman proposes a voluntary service fee to enhance navigational safety and emergency preparation, while Iran asserts a right to impose mandatory insurance fees
- ▪Iran and Oman are exploring proposals to charge commercial shipping vessels transit or service fees to pass through the Strait of Hormuz
- ▪The United States and Gulf Arab states reject the imposition of tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz
U.S.-Iran memorandum loopholes
- ▪The June 17, 2026 memorandum of understanding specifies that Oman and Iran will work to define the future administration of maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz
- ▪The temporary memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran on June 17, 2026, mandates that Iran ensure safe passage of commercial vessels without charge for 60 days
Demining operations near Oman
- ▪Six oil and gas freighters navigated the Omani coastal route on July 5, 2026, following unexplained U-turns by at least eight vessels on July 3 and July 4, 2026
- ▪Approximately 40 ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily, with many utilizing the southern Oman route to avoid the Iranian coast
- ▪The United States has established a transit pathway off the coast of Oman on the southern side of the Strait of Hormuz, where active demining operations are ongoing
Gulf states economic pressures
- ▪Qatar's defense minister stated in late May 2026 that Qatar is open to negotiating temporary transit fees to facilitate the reopening and demining of the Strait of Hormuz
- ▪Gulf Arab states face economic pressure to maximize oil exports with global oil prices falling to approximately $72 a barrel under the U.S.-Iran deal
Ongoing military strikes
- ▪Iranian forces struck two cargo ships in late June 2026 for utilizing an Omani route without obtaining prior clearance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
- ▪Iranian forces launched attacks on United States military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait in late June 2026, following U.S. strikes that destroyed Iranian military sites
Saudi-Iran diplomatic outreach
- ▪Unpredictability surrounding U.S. foreign policy has prompted Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar to pursue independent diplomatic arrangements with Iran
- ▪Saudi Arabia dispatched a representative to attend the funeral of Iran's supreme leader, who was killed by Israeli military strikes
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