On June 26, Bloomberg reported: Oman, in closed negotiations with European officials, stated that a return to the pre-war status quo in the Strait of Hormuz is impossible. Vessels passing through the strait may be required to pay fees — officially for "services for cleaning the strait from pollution and navigation assistance."
A key nuance that Bloomberg notes: the Omanis did not clarify whether these fees would be mandatory.
How the "new reality" emerged
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. Tehran responded with a de facto closure of the strait: the IRGC attacked vessels, and mines were laid in the central shipping lane — the so-called Traffic Separation Scheme, which has been in use since 1968. According to the IMO assessment published on June 26, approximately 80 mines remain in the main shipping corridor.
As a result, the strait has effectively split into two routes: a southern one along Oman's coast, coordinated by the United States, and a northern one through Iranian territorial waters under IRGC control. Before the conflict began, approximately 130 vessels passed through Hormuz daily; traffic has been reduced by 90–95%, creating a shortage of 13 million barrels of oil per day.
"There is no way back to the pre-war status quo"
Omani officials — to European partners, according to Bloomberg
What has been signed, what is disputed
On June 17, on the sidelines of the G7 summit, President Trump and Iranian President Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding: a 60-day ceasefire, demining of the strait by Iran, lifting of American blockade of Iranian ports, and no fees on vessels. The United States lifted its naval blockade the following day.
But as early as June 25 — one day before Bloomberg's report — one vessel came under attack on the Omani route. The IMO suspended its evacuation plan for over 11,000 sailors stranded in the Persian Gulf since February. According to various estimates, between 500 and 600 commercial vessels are stuck in the region.
In parallel, Iran is pushing its own formulation: not "transit fees," but "payment for services." Iran's ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, stated that Tehran and Oman will jointly determine passage conditions. U.S. Secretary of State Rubio called any fees a "fantasy." The minimum figure circulating in industry discussions is $2 million per vessel passage; some estimates reach $40–100 billion in annual revenue for Iran — figures that Iran International analysts consider inflated.
Where the legal boundary lies
International maritime law guarantees the right of innocent passage through straits connecting open seas. The European Union directly stated: charging fees for transit through territorial waters contradicts current norms. Oman, for its part, assured at a meeting of the Cooperation Council of the Persian Gulf States on June 25 that "any future agreements will not include transit duties." But Muscat replaces the very word "duties" with "services" — and this distinction is not legally established.
Moreover, demining, according to industry estimates, will take at least several weeks, and according to some forecasts — until the end of 2026. As long as the central corridor remains mined, it is Oman and Iran that control alternative routes — and they alone will determine the conditions for access to them.
If during the 60-day negotiation window the United States and Iran do not agree on a permanent status for the strait, the question of "services" will return to the table — and then the legal difference between a fee and payment for services will become crucial for every tanker entering the Persian Gulf.
