Iran and Oman pursue Hormuz Strait fees despite US opposition

Jun 23, 2026

Iran and Oman have agreed to study maritime service fees for the Strait of Hormuz, challenging US insistence on toll-free transit. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that international law prohibits charging fees on the waterway, while President Donald Trump threatened action against any unilateral tolls. Meanwhile, a fragile 60-day US-Iran ceasefire has allowed shipping traffic to hit record highs, even as Congress votes to curb Trump's war powers and the UN coordinates the rescue of 11,000 stranded seafarers.

Strait of Hormuz fees dispute

▪US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in Abu Dhabi on June 23, 2026, that no country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway like the Strait of Hormuz.
▪US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened to sanction Oman if the country assists Iran in imposing a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz.
▪Iran and Oman issued a joint statement on June 23, 2026, agreeing to study maritime service fees and the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
▪Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi stated on X that Oman remains committed to international law and toll-free safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
▪US President Donald Trump asserted on Truth Social that no tolls would be allowed on Strait of Hormuz traffic unless imposed by and for the United States.

US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding

▪The US-Iran memorandum of understanding stipulates that Iran and Oman will discuss the future administration and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz with other Gulf countries.
▪The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a 60-day period of toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
▪US President Donald Trump claimed Iran agreed to long-term nuclear inspections, which Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei directly denied.

Congressional war powers resolution

▪The Republican-majority US House of Representatives passed the war powers resolution prior to the Senate vote.
▪The US Senate voted 50-48 in favor of a war powers resolution to block President Donald Trump's ability to conduct military action against Iran.

Shipping traffic resumption

▪Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz reached its highest level since March 1, 2026, with Kpler tracking 36 or 37 commodity carriers on June 22, 2026.
▪The US Treasury issued a sanctions waiver on Iranian oil exports, allowing Iran to receive at least $8 billion of income over the next two months.

Stranded vessel rescue operations

▪International Maritime Organization Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez stated that the rescue operation will be conducted in cooperation with Iran, Oman, other coastal states, the US, and the maritime industry.
▪The International Maritime Organization is developing a strategy to rescue and escort 11,000 stranded seafarers on ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel-Lebanon ceasefire violations

▪Lebanese authorities reported that Israeli machine-gun fire killed two people near an excavator in Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon.
▪The Israeli military stated it targeted armed terrorists who posed an immediate threat to troops in the Ali al-Taher ridge area near Nabatieh al-Fawqa.