International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez announced the suspension of operations to extract stranded vessels in the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on an oil tanker in the region.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Dominguez said the safe transit routes proposed by the IMO are no longer considered safe, and that a positive stance from Iran is awaited for the work to resume. Dominguez stated, "In coordination with Iran, we proposed the option of mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz; we have no objection to the use of two transit lanes."
The IMO Secretary-General emphasized that no country has the right to charge a transit fee in a strait open to international maritime navigation, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway where all vessels have the right of free passage.
New York Times: Oman proposes voluntary payment mechanism
The New York Times, citing IMO Secretary-General Dominguez, reported that establishing a voluntary payment fund for the Strait of Hormuz is on the agenda. The newspaper reported that Dominguez held talks with Omani officials on the management of the strait and is seeking solutions to the problems caused by the conflict within the framework of international law.
According to the report, Oman made a formal proposal to the US and its Western allies to establish this mechanism. It was stated that the proposal is partly based on existing models for maritime navigation safety and services in the Malacca and Singapore straits.
Under the draft, shipping companies would pay a fee for maritime services in the strait. It was noted that US negotiators approach the proposal with some reservations and will discuss the matter in upcoming talks.
Oman Foreign Minister: Goal is service fee, not transit fee
Oman Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, in a previous statement, said his country opposes charging a fee solely for passage through the strait, as it would be illegal. In an interview with Monte Carlo Radio, the minister stressed the need to distinguish between a "transit fee" and fees for services provided by states.
Al-Busaidi stated that Oman, like France, calls for de-escalation and the implementation of agreement articles. "We are doing everything we can to ensure the navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remains safe, secure, and free for all," he said.
The minister said Oman's dialogue with Iran is based on the principle that any agreement must remain within the limits of international law. Reminding that Oman is committed to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, although Iran is not a party, al-Busaidi expressed that arrangements on a voluntary basis could be made for services such as navigation safety, water safety, pollution control, and emergency response.
Rubio: We oppose commercialization of the strait
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement to journalists in Bahrain last week, said they are against any scenario aimed at the financial exploitation of the strait, whether it is called a "fee, tax, or donation." Rubio said, "We must return to the situation before this dispute."
Analysts, however, note that the capacity to disrupt traffic on the waterway, which Iran demonstrated during the conflict, has become an indispensable leverage for Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said in a statement to state television this month that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will no longer return to the pre-war period of free passage.
