Iran has said ships must seek permission to use the Strait of Hormuz and raised the prospect of future charges just days after the Prime Minister and other leaders stressed “the right of transit passage without restrictions or tolls”.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a government agency set up by Tehran during the earlier ceasefire to control the strategic waterway, posted on social media on Friday that vessels would be required to submit requests at least 48 hours in advance to pass through the channel.
It also said admin tariffs, including for “related Iranian insurances” would be waived during the 60-day negotiation period provided for by the interim peace deal to reach a lasting agreement, leaving the way open for fees being levied at a later date.
The move came as US President Donald Trump claimed Iran was “finished”.
Ending Tehran’s stranglehold on the sea route, which disrupted global oil and gas supplies and drove up fuel and food prices, had been a key demand in negotiations.
Sir Keir Starmer has previously highlighted the “untold economic damage” caused by the effective closure of the waterway.
The Prime Minister has previously highlighted the economic damage caused by the closure of the Gulf waterway (Isabel Infantes/PA)
PA Wire
However, the interim deal to end the nearly four-month war between the US and Iran only secures safe, toll-free passage of the strait for 60 days, pending the outcome of a final settlement on Tehran’s disputed nuclear plans.
The accord leaves it to Iran and Oman, in conjunction with other Gulf states to “define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz”, although it states this must be “in line with the applicable international law”, which upholds freedom of navigation.
Speaking at a White House briefing on Thursday, US vice president JD Vance restated the administration’s position that international waterways “should be free of tolls” and the strait “never used as a chokepoint for the global economy ever again”.
JD Vance claims the US holds ‘all the cards’ (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)
AP
He said: “The final negotiations can set the terms of what comes afterwards.”
He added: “I keep coming back to this fundamental structural point of this negotiation, which is that we have all the cards.”
But Iran looks set to continue to try and exert leverage over the strait through the PGSA in demanding ships apply for permission to transit “due to the presence of mine-affected areas and the necessity of ensuring safe passage and preventing collisions”.
The body said: “To avoid delays at the entrance or exit of the Strait of Hormuz, it is essential that passing requests, complete with all required information, are submitted at least 48 hours prior to arriving at the strait area.
“During the 60-day period, tariffs for security, safety, and environmental services, as well as related Iranian insurances, will not be collected from shipowners and will be borne by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The Prime Minister and his counterparts at a summit in France this week welcomed Mr Trump’s “breakthrough” agreement with Tehran and underlined the need for a “robust and comprehensive” follow-up accord “that can bring peace and security for all in the region”.
A joint statement issued by the heads of the G7 group of leading democracies said: “We reaffirm that the right of transit passage without restrictions or tolls is the bedrock of international trade.”
It backed the UK-French-led effort to enable shipping to pass safely through the strait once hostilities with Iran end, by reassuring commercial operators and verifying the removal of all mines.
While Sir Keir has said the UK will play its full part in the defensive mission, he has not yet said when support could arrive.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We congratulate the United States, the Iranian government and all those involved, including Pakistan, Qatar and all other mediators, on this diplomatic breakthrough.
“The agreement is a real chance to de-escalate tensions, restore stability, and crucially to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Our position has been consistent and will not change. We are clear that toll-free freedom of navigation must now be restored in the Strait of Hormuz in line with international law, to begin easing the severe economic impacts that have been felt for several months – on families here in the UK and around the world. There can be no place for Iranian tolls.
“We will continue to work with our partners to ensure the Strait is open to all.”
Meanwhile, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire after intensified fighting in Lebanon led planned US-Iran talks in Switzerland to be cancelled on Friday.
Hitting out at the latest hold-up on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump wrote: “The war has diminished Iran!
“We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did.
“They are finished. We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!”
Donald Trump has said Iran are ‘finished’ (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
AP
The interim deal enabled Iran to immediately start selling its oil, with the future promise of economic sanctions being lifted, frozen assets released and access to a 300 billion dollar (£227 billion) reconstruction fund if agreement is reached on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
However, the agreement has sparked criticism in Washington, including among some of the US president’s Republican allies, who argue the concessions go too far.
In addition, Mr Trump abandoned his original promise to completely destroy Iran’s ballistic missiles, arguing it would be “unfair” if they did not have some.
Former president Barack Obama has said it appeared the US was “worse off” now than before Mr Trump launched the war against Iran in February.
He told NBC: “We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died.
“And it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse off.”
Mr Obama noted Iran had agreed not to develop nuclear weapons in the 2015 deal his administration struck with Tehran, which was derided and scrapped by Mr Trump in his first term.
He said: “This administration, or a prior version of this administration, pulled out of it, which caused then Iran to develop more nuclear capacity.”
