Iran War & Ceasefire — 2026-05-24

Iran Moves to Cement Long-Term Control Over Strait of Hormuz Through Transit Fee Negotiations With Oman

BLUFEven without a formal Iran-Oman revenue deal by year-end 2026, which remains unlikely, Tehran's unilateral jurisdictional claims over UAE and Omani waters will persist, forcing Washington into active contestation.

Iran's ambassador to France, Mohammad Amin-Nejad, told Bloomberg on May 21 that Iran and Oman are discussing a permanent charge system for Hormuz transits, framing payments as fees for navigation services rather than tolls 123The War Zone" data-url="https://www.twz.com/news-features/iran-now-trying-to-cement-long-term-control-over-strait-via-fees" data-rt="secondary" data-otype="digital_news">4. The New York Times reported Oman initially rejected a joint partnership but is now negotiating a revenue share and told Iranian officials it would lobby Gulf neighbors and Washington for support 4. Iran's newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority has defined a management zone extending into UAE and Omani coastal waters, and Tehran has reportedly charged vessels up to $2 million per transit 25. Trump told reporters Thursday he wants the strait open and free with no tolls; Rubio said Friday any Iranian fee system is "just not acceptable" and would make a diplomatic deal with Tehran "unfeasible," explicitly linking the toll dispute to the status of ongoing nuclear negotiations 24.

Analysis
A written revenue-sharing agreement by December 31, 2026 is unlikely. Moderate confidence reflects three independently constraining factors: U.S. categorical rejection, Gulf Arab resistance, and the unresolved legal distinction between fees and tolls, each independently blocking Muscat's path to formal commitment. Oman's shift from rejecting joint partnership to negotiating revenue terms weakens the assumption of unified Gulf opposition regardless of whether a formal deal materializes. The apparent multi-outlet convergence rests on a single-source architecture. Bloomberg's direct interview with Iran's ambassador was amplified without independent Omani confirmation, limiting the sourcing weight behind Oman's reported positions. Tehran may be using the PGSA announcement and Oman talks primarily as leverage in broader war-termination negotiations rather than pursuing genuine institutionalized Hormuz control. Even failed negotiations leave the PGSA's jurisdictional claims over UAE and Omani coastal waters intact, forcing Washington and Gulf partners to choose between active contestation or tacit acceptance.
6 sources
  1. Iran in Talks With Oman Over Permanent Toll System for Hormuz - Bloomberg
  2. Update: Iran in Talks With Oman Over Permanent Hormuz Toll System - Insurance Journal
  3. Iran in talks with Oman on toll system for Hormuz Strait: Envoy - Press TV
  4. Iran Now Trying To Cement Long-Term Control Over Strait Via Fees - The War Zone
  5. Maths behind Hormuz toll: Is paying Iran for transit cheaper than blockade? - Al Jazeera
  6. Iran discusses Hormuz toll system with Oman - Bloomberg - Iran International

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