Iran has reportedly sought to charge ships a transit fee equal to 5% to 7% of the value of their cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz as a toll amid uncertainty over a possible deal between Washington and Tehran.
Iran, Oman Advance Toward Hormuz Deal
According to a report by Reuters on Wednesday, a proposed agreement between Oman and Iran would give Tehran more control over the traffic entering the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, citing senior Iranian and regional officials familiar with the matter.
The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, in comments to Iran’s IRNA news agency cited by Reuters, said that the agreement with Oman will see ships travel through “Iranian territorial waters, both on the inbound and outbound legs.”
Gharibabadi also said that Iran had received indications that the US was prepared to return to the agreements under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June. According to the report, while Iran seeks a toll of 5 to 7%, Oman has touted a 3% toll.
The officials cited by the report also pushed back against President Donald Trump‘s suggestion that the deal for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz was close, citing unresolved issues. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical part of the oil supply chain, responsible for moving approximately 20 million barrels per day in 2025.
Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had slammed Trump, saying that the ongoing war with Iran was his gift to the oil companies, who reported massive profits amid heightened gas prices. Trump, in a press briefing, slammed oil companies for “making too much money.”
Oil and Gas Prices
Trump had earlier announced that the U.S. would halt strikes on Iran to pave the way for a possible deal with Tehran, sending oil prices down. At the time of writing this article, Brent slipped 0.38% to $79.15/bbl, while the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 0.47% to $74.87/bbl.
Gas prices fell across the board in the U.S. too, with the national average price at $4.0801/gallon on Wednesday, but remained above the $4 mark. The national average price for diesel fell to $5.3622/gallon, according to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA).
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