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Iran Starts Charging Ships Up to $2 Million for Strait of Hormuz Passage

Iran Starts Charging Ships Up to $2 Million for Strait of Hormuz Passage

Iran is drafting legislation to impose transit fees on ships using the Strait of Hormuz, indicating the earlier reported passage charges are moving toward a formal legal review process.

Fact Check
The claim is supported by multiple independent and authoritative sources. The $2 million fee for a 'safe corridor' is reported by Kurdistan24 and SCMP, citing Lloyd's List. The figure of 3,200 stranded ships is an official estimate from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as reported by gCaptain. Iran's communication to the IMO regarding 'non-hostile' ships was widely reported by Reuters and other major outlets on March 24-25, 2026.
Summary

Iran is drafting a bill to levy transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The draft is scheduled to be submitted to parliament’s research center next week for legal review before follow-up in parliament. This new update adds legislative detail to earlier reporting that Iran had begun charging ships up to $2 million for passage and had told IMO member states that non-hostile ships may transit the waterway after coordinating with Iranian authorities. Earlier reports also said around 3,200 vessels were stranded in the Gulf and that at least 22 ships had been attacked by Iran since the conflict began.

Terms & Concepts
  • Strait of Hormuz: A strategic maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf with global shipping routes and vital for international energy transport.
  • IMO: The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency that oversees global shipping safety, security, and environmental standards.