Iran Signals Hormuz Transit Fees
Iran has announced plans to implement a maritime toll system in the Strait of Hormuz within two months, following a 60-day negotiation process triggered by the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United States.
Presenting the deal as a strategic victory against Washington, Tehran declared that the waterway remained under Iranian control and warned that any European-led naval escort mission in the strait would not be welcomed. The announcement came after the United States lifted its blockade of Iran on Thursday and allowed oil tankers to resume unrestricted passage through one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
This development coincided with renewed tensions over Israel’s military presence in southern Lebanon. According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will maintain the security zone in southern Lebanon as long as necessary to meet security requirements. Israeli forces currently occupy more than 600 square kilometers along the border.
Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, calling it the highest national goal.
Iran argues that the agreement’s provisions on Lebanon’s territorial integrity require a full Israeli withdrawal and is putting pressure on US President Donald Trump to comply with the agreement. Trump said Thursday that Washington expects “a complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah and Israel.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called on all parties in the Middle East to honor their commitments and allow negotiations to move forward.
Iranian officials also announced that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei approved the agreement and supported direct talks with the Trump administration. Khamenei reportedly said Trump used “all means” out of “desperation” to secure the deal.
The religious leader has largely remained out of the public eye since taking office in March following the death of his father.
Despite diplomatic breakthroughs, violence continued on Thursday, with Israeli drone strikes and artillery shelling of southern Lebanon reported. Hezbollah said it has carried out a series of attacks against Israeli forces in the Kfar Tebnit-Ali al-Taher area in recent days.
The agreement came under criticism from some sections of the Israeli political establishment and media. An opinion piece in the Times of Israel described the outcome as a defeat resulting from “the weakness of the US presidency”, reflecting wider unease among some Israeli commentators.
US Vice President JD Vance defended Trump at the White House briefing and criticized Israelis who oppose the deal. He argued that Trump remains Israel’s strongest ally and warned against attacking the country’s strongest supporter.
Meanwhile, the ceremony planned to sign the memorandum in Switzerland was canceled, although Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the document in English and Persian.
The cancellation means Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who played a mediating role in the talks, will no longer travel to Switzerland, depriving Islamabad of a high-profile diplomatic moment. Vance said he still plans to visit Switzerland but acknowledged uncertainty about next steps.
Technical talks between US and Iranian officials are still expected to continue at the Bürgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne. The talks will focus on implementing the agreement’s 14 articles, including easing sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and guarantees for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Questions regarding the future management of the strait remain controversial. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has argued that the waterway requires active management and that oversight will come at a cost.
Saudi Arabia vehemently rejected the proposal. Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the strait was operating effectively before the conflict, with no significant security, environmental or navigation concerns.
“The ships were sailing freely,” he said. “There was no security problem. There was no environmental problem. We need to return to the system that worked before.”
The United Arab Emirates also expressed concern. Muath Alwari, the UAE’s director of policy planning, said his country had faced some of Iran’s worst attacks during the conflict, including attacks on hotels, tourist attractions and civilian infrastructure.
But he said the war had strengthened the UAE’s defense relationship with Israel and would deepen rather than weaken bilateral cooperation. He said the strategic calculations that led Abu Dhabi to sign the Abraham Accords remained unchanged.
The Gulf officials’ comments came as Iran’s foreign ministry began efforts to rebuild ties with regional partners. Tehran hopes Gulf investors will contribute significantly to a planned $350 billion Iran reconstruction fund that the United States has agreed to support and is expected to attract significant private sector investment.
Iranian Economy Minister Seyed Ali Madanizadeh warned against expectations of rapid economic recovery. He said that although the removal of restrictions on oil exports had increased production slightly, the conflict had seriously damaged public finances as revenues fell and oil revenue decreased.
He warned that despite diplomatic breakthroughs, budget pressures will remain a major challenge, adding, “It’s not like everything will suddenly go back to normal.” he said.
