- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:51 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Iran plans new service fee for Strait of Hormuz transit.
- Friendly nations, including India, to receive special treatment.
- Indian vessels assured safe passage without paying tolls.
Iran has reiterated its plans to charge a service fee on ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, marking a clear departure from its erstwhile policy before the war, when the narrow waterway connecting the Arabian Sea remained free.
The latest announcement has once again raised concerns over whether Indian vessels or those en route to India will also be charged such a fee.
Iran’s Ambassador to China Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli on Saturday addressed the World Peace Forum in Beijing, saying, "As a country where the Hormuz is part of its territorial waters, we will definitely charge service fees."
However, he added that the friendly countries will get special treatment. "We will definitely consider special treatment for the countries that were friendly to us and specially stood by us during the hard times," Fazli added.
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While Tehran has not announced the structure of the proposed service charge, India is likely to be clubbed by Tehran into the list of countries to receive special treatment given the earlier assurance by the West Asian nation.
On April 13, Mohammad Fathali, the Iranian Ambassador to India, said that the Indian vessels were not paying any toll to Tehran during the war even as concerns were raised about it.
He added, "In this difficult time, we have good relations. We believe Iran and India share common interests and a common fate."
“Iran shares strong and trustworthy relations with the Indian government. In difficult times, India has proven itself to be a sensitive and reliable partner, and the cultural ties between the two nations remain deep-rooted," Fathali had noted.
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In an assurance, he had said that India could continue to get access through the Strait. "Indian ships will continue to receive safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in the future as well," he had said.