As Iran, which holds the "leash" of the Strait of Hormuz, refuses to back down from its push to impose tolls, a sense is spreading among some major European countries that tolls for the Strait of Hormuz will ultimately become a reality.
On the 2nd (local time), Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, reported that some European countries have effectively begun to accept as a fait accompli that a service fee will be imposed on transits through the Strait of Hormuz after the war with Iran. The sources said European countries recognize that additional expense is inevitable, but they are also conveying to Iran and Oman that ships must not be discriminated against based on their flag.
Some Gulf Arab states are said to share a similar view to Europe in unofficial conversations. Sources in the Gulf said countries that were hit hard by concentrated Iranian attacks in the first few weeks of the war are easing their initial aversion to paying tolls to reduce tensions.
Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Kuwait declined to comment or did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment. Bahrain, by contrast, said, "The free and unimpeded passage of international ships through the strait is a matter of international law, not a subject for negotiation."
Despite U.S. opposition, Iran and Oman are pushing to impose what they call a "service fee" expense on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. On the 30th of last month, Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said, "Free passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be allowed only for 60 days while cease-fire talks with the United States are underway," stressing that free access is not a permanent measure.
According to the New York Times (NYT), Oman recently delivered a formal proposal to the United States and Western countries under which ships using the Strait of Hormuz would pay a service fee. Oman described it as a voluntary service fee rather than a mandatory toll. That differs from Iran's position of making the service fee mandatory.
Oman's plan appears to draw on the Cooperative Mechanism model used in the Malacca–Singapore Strait. The Strait of Malacca is jointly managed by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, which operate a system under which ships support the expense needed for navigation safety and maritime security services. Although the fund's donations are not disclosed, Singapore said in 2017 that the fund raised about $22 million (about 34 billion won) over 10 years.
However, Oman is said to believe that a voluntary service-fee system would require the consent of the Gulf states. Ultimately, whether Iran agrees to this approach is seen as a key variable going forward. Bloomberg reported, "Discussions among Iran, Oman and neighboring countries over the Strait of Hormuz are taking place as a U.S. negotiating team visits Doha, Qatar, this week to attend indirect talks between the United States and Iran."