Oman proposes a plan to charge fees in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran and Oman are moving forward with plans to charge fees to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the New York Times reported on June 30, citing an Iranian official and four diplomats familiar with the matter.

According to sources, Oman recently submitted a formal proposal to the US and other Western allies outlining a plan for shipping companies to pay service fees for using the Strait of Hormuz.

A person familiar with the U.S. position said U.S. negotiators had received the Omani proposal and had concerns they intended to discuss with Omani officials. This person and a regional source both said the proposal referred to voluntary contributions, rather than mandatory fees.

Ships navigate the Strait of Hormuz, near the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran, on June 30. Photo: Reuters.

According to a regional diplomat, Oman's proposal is based in part on a model applied in the Malacca Strait and the Singapore Strait, where a private fund accepts voluntary contributions to ensure maritime safety.

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The diplomat stated that all fees in the Strait of Hormuz would be voluntary. However, Iranian officials insisted that such payments would be mandatory.

On June 29, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that Tehran's priority is reaching an agreement with Oman. However, if Oman is unwilling to establish a joint mechanism to manage the waterway, Iran will proceed with the plan itself, according to Press TV.

It remains unclear whether the U.S. will accept Oman's plan to collect voluntary service fees.

Earlier in May, after reports emerged that Oman had discussed with Iran the possibility of cooperating on collecting service fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it did not "act like all the other countries."

Last week, Mr. Trump reiterated his statement that charging or applying fees to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz is "unacceptable."

The framework peace agreement signed this month by the US and Iran to end the war stipulates that commercial ships can safely navigate the Strait of Hormuz without paying any fees. However, this provision is only in effect for 60 days, while the parties continue negotiations to finalize the details.

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The agreement also stipulates that Iran and Oman will begin a "dialogue" to determine the mechanism for managing this shipping lane after the 60-day period ends.

Sources familiar with the U.S. position said the U.S. negotiating team values its partnership with Oman and believes the two sides can resolve differences related to Oman's proposal at a technical level.

Source: https://znews.vn/oman-de-xuat-ke-hoach-thu-phi-eo-bien-hormuz-post1664956.html