Iran, Oman Near Deal To Reopen Strait Of Hormuz With New ‘Service Fee’ System
Iran and Oman are reportedly closing in on an agreement that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, potentially providing a major breakthrough in President Trump’s push to restore traffic through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
Under the proposed temporary arrangement, ships entering the Persian Gulf would travel through a designated channel in Iranian waters before leaving through Omani waters. The framework would initially remain in place for between one and three months while negotiators attempt to develop a longer-term solution.
One of the most controversial elements involves Iran and Oman collecting what is being described as a “service fee” from vessels using the route. Tehran reportedly argues that the money would cover environmental monitoring and security costs associated with keeping the shipping corridor operating safely.
The Trump administration, however, is pushing back against any suggestion that Iran would be permitted to impose tolls or gain control over international shipping. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration’s goal is to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait without allowing Tehran to charge vessels for passage.
Iran has insisted that the Strait will not simply return to the system that existed before the war, when international shipping routinely passed through without the level of Iranian oversight Tehran is now demanding. That disagreement over who ultimately controls navigation remains one of the biggest obstacles to completing the arrangement.
Oman has positioned itself as a neutral mediator, arguing that its priority is restoring safe and lawful maritime traffic while keeping the arrangement consistent with international law. A joint Iranian-Omani working group has been negotiating shipping routes, security procedures and management of the waterway.
The talks appear to be moving quickly. Bessent said Tuesday that an agreement could potentially be reached “today or tomorrow,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said progress has been made but stressed that a final deal has not yet been completed.
Reopening the Strait would represent a major economic development because roughly one-fifth of the world’s peacetime oil supply normally travels through the waterway. President Trump has made restoring unrestricted commercial shipping the first phase of his effort to reach a broader settlement with Iran, with negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program expected to become the next major hurdle if the Strait agreement is completed.