Strait of Hormuz: Iran grants Russia special privileges.
Iran's ambassador to Moscow said that Tehran has issued exemptions from transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz for several countries, including Russia. This move comes amid increasingly complex developments in regional maritime security.
According to RIA Novosti on April 24, Iran's ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, told the news agency that Tehran has made exceptions for certain countries regarding the collection of fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
In an interview, Mr. Jalali stated: "Currently, we have applied exceptions for some countries. I don't know what the future holds. However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry is working to extend these privileges to friendly countries, such as Russia."
Iran announced plans to impose fees following the US and Israeli attacks. The Iranian government explained that these fees are intended to offset the costs of ensuring security in the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, this shipping lane is under a blockade by Iran until the US completely lifts its naval blockade.
On April 23, Iranian Parliament Vice Speaker Hamidreza Haji Babai confirmed that the country had collected fees for crossing the Strait of Hormuz for the first time. All revenue has been transferred directly to the Central Bank of Iran.
Since the end of March 2026, Iran has begun drafting a bill related to this sea region. The bill requires payment of transit fees in Rial. At the same time, it prohibits transit for ships from the US, Israel, and other countries supporting sanctions against Tehran. Currently, this bill has not yet been officially passed.
On April 8, the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire. However, subsequent negotiations yielded no substantive results. A new meeting was scheduled for the day before, but Iran refused to participate.
Following the ceasefire agreement, the US announced a blockade of Iranian ports. Washington stated that it would only lift the blockade once both sides reached a mutual agreement. In response to this move, Tasnim news agency, citing internal sources, reported that Tehran considered continued contact with the US a waste of time.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has decided to extend the ceasefire. According to him, this ceasefire will remain in effect until Iran presents a resolution proposal and the two sides officially begin negotiations.
