International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez announced the suspension of operations to extract stranded ships in the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on an oil tanker.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Dominguez said the safe transit corridors proposed by the IMO are no longer considered safe and that a positive stance from Iran is awaited for the resumption of work. Dominguez stated, "We proposed the option of mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with Iran, and we have no objection to the use of two transit corridors."
The IMO Secretary-General emphasized that no country has the right to charge a transit fee in a strait open to international maritime navigation, underlining that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway where all ships have the right of free passage.
New York Times: Oman proposes voluntary payment mechanism
The New York Times reported, citing IMO Secretary-General Dominguez, that a voluntary payment fund for the Strait of Hormuz is under consideration. The newspaper noted that Dominguez held discussions with Omani officials on the management of the strait and is seeking solutions within the framework of international law to the problems caused by the war.
According to the report, Oman submitted a formal proposal to the US and its Western allies to establish this mechanism. The proposal is said to be based, in part, on existing models for maritime navigation safety and services in the Malacca and Singapore straits.
Under the draft, shipping companies would pay a fee in return for maritime services in the strait. It was noted that US negotiators approached the proposal with some reservations and will raise the issue in upcoming talks.
Omani Foreign Minister: Aim is not a transit fee, but a service charge
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said in a previous statement that his country is against charging a fee solely for passage through the strait, which would be illegal. In an interview with Monte Carlo radio, the minister emphasized the need to distinguish between a "transit fee" and the cost of services provided by states.
Al-Busaidi stated that Oman, like France, calls for de-escalation and the implementation of agreement provisions. "We are doing everything we can to ensure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remains safe, healthy, and free for everyone," he said.
The minister said Oman's dialogue with Iran is based on the principle that any agreement must remain within the bounds of international law. Recalling that Oman is committed to the Law of the Sea Convention, despite Iran not being a party, al-Busaidi expressed that arrangements could be made on a voluntary basis for services such as navigation safety, water security, pollution control, and emergency response.
Rubio: We oppose commercializing the strait
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in comments to journalists in Bahrain last week, stated that they oppose any scenario involving 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 Iran's ability to disrupt traffic in the waterway, demonstrated during the war, has become an indispensable lever of pressure for Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said this month in an interview with state television that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to the pre-war period of free passage.
