Iran and Oman Agree to Discuss Tolls and Navigation Management in Strait of Hormuz

Iran and Oman issued a joint statement on June 23, 2026, affirming their sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and announcing plans to establish a joint working team to discuss the management of navigation and associated costs. The statement, released following high-level talks in Muscat between Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, and senior Omani officials, emphasized that all arrangements relating to the waterway "must fully respect their sovereignty and sovereign rights." The two countries committed to continued dialogue through their foreign ministries to reach an understanding on the future administration of navigation and related charging service costs.

The announcement has raised significant concerns from the Trump administration, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasizing that no country is permitted to charge tolls or fees on international waterways under existing international law. President Trump stated on Tuesday that he had agreed to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, contradicting the implication that tolls might be imposed. However, Iran has recently been pushing commercial shipping vessels to register with a newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority and requiring mandatory insurance, which Western analysts view as preliminary steps toward eventual fee collection.

The development comes amid a broader shift in U.S.-Iran relations, following the signing of a peace memorandum of understanding between the Trump administration and Iran last week. Mediators announced encouraging outcomes from the first round of indirect U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland, including a 60-day roadmap toward a final agreement and mechanisms to ensure commercial shipping security through the strait. The joint statement noted that Oman reiterated its support for the U.S.-Iran peace memorandum and underscored the importance of continued dialogue for its implementation.

Oman, which controls the southern entrance of the Strait of Hormuz opposite Iran, has traditionally maintained a "friends to all, enemies to none" foreign policy while serving as a mediator between the United States and Iran. However, its willingness to publicly discuss tolls with Iran has strained its relationship with Washington, particularly after Trump's earlier statements that "Oman will behave just like everyone else, or we'll have to blow them up." The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway through which nearly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil supplies flow annually.

Analysts observe that Iran appears to be incrementally advancing toward toll collection, with recent measures such as mandatory insurance registration and vessel coordination with the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps serving as precursors to future fees. Lloyd's List, a leading Gulf analyst, described these moves as steps that may allow free transit for the initial 60-day period "but with fees likely afterward." The vague language in the Iran-Oman joint statement regarding "costs associated with" navigation services has not clarified whether any tolls would be temporary or permanent.