Axios: US Had Not Discussed Tolls for Strait of Hormuz Security with Allies

Axios reported, citing a senior source in the Gulf, that the United States has not raised the issue of potentially charging fees to secure the Strait of Hormuz with its allies in the region. The report comes as Javier Blas, Bloomberg columnist, previously reported on a new plan by Donald Trump to restore a naval blockade against Iran and collect fees from shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The International Maritime Organization has also stated its opposition to imposing any fees on passage through straits used for international navigation.

• Axios said that Washington had not discussed the possible collection of fees under the pretext of securing the Strait of Hormuz with its allies in the Gulf region.
• A senior source in the Gulf told Axios that the United States had not raised the matter with its allies in the region.
• Javier Blas, Bloomberg columnist, reported on a new plan by Donald Trump that includes restoring a naval blockade against Iran.
• According to Bloomberg, Washington intends to charge a 20 percent fee on all passing shipments to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
• Bloomberg also referred to a plan under which a fee of $15 would be imposed on each barrel of oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
• The International Maritime Organization opposes imposing any fees on passage through any strait used for international navigation.
• The International Maritime Organization has emphasized that there is no legal basis for imposing mandatory fees for passage through any strait.. Coverage difference: Mehr News, Jamaran, Etemad, Shargh, and Entekhab mainly focused on the Axios report and on the fact that the United States had not raised the issue of fees for the Strait of Hormuz with regional allies. By contrast, Akhbar Fori, in addition to the Axios report, also covered more details of Donald Trump’s proposed plan to collect fees from the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the International Maritime Organization’s opposition to such fees. Some media outlets also explicitly referred, citing Axios, to a “senior source in the Gulf.”