Dubai, July 28 (SANA) Gulf states have expressed support for an Omani proposal that would allow Iran to collect voluntary transit fees from ships using the Strait of Hormuz, a Gulf source told Reuters on Tuesday, in an effort to restore stability to oil trade disrupted by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Under the proposal, Iran would jointly manage the strategic waterway with Oman, which controls the opposite shore of the strait, rather than exercising sole authority. Any payments by vessels would be voluntary, the source said.
The proposal is modeled on arrangements in the Strait of Malacca, where Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore invite ships to make voluntary contributions to help fund navigation services, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations.
Iran has said it wants to jointly administer the Strait of Hormuz with Oman and collect transit fees from vessels using the route. The United States, however, has called for a return to the pre-war system under which ships could pass freely without charges, arguing that mandatory transit fees would violate international law.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi discussed the issue with his Omani and Saudi counterparts on Monday, stressing the importance of regional cooperation, according to a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that “good talks” were under way with Iran but warned Washington would resume military strikes if negotiations failed, although Tehran has denied seeking to restart talks with the United States.
Trump halted a two-week U.S. air campaign against Iran over the weekend after military commanders said it had achieved its objectives. The campaign aimed to break Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for global oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
Iran has said it will observe the ceasefire as long as Washington does the same, despite reports of drone attacks in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and northern Iraq. Trump said he remained optimistic about reaching an agreement but warned military action would resume if diplomacy failed.
Oil prices fell sharply after the bombing campaign was suspended, while Washington and Tehran continue to dispute the terms of a June framework agreement governing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and future negotiations.
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