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Iran on Monday said that it is "not seeking" to impose tolls on vessels passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid reports suggesting the Islamic Republic is allegedly collecting a fee from ships transiting through the strategic waterway.
Addressing a weekly press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Iran is instead working with Oman to establish a mechanism for the safe passage of ships through the Strait. He stated that the efforts by Iran and Oman to develop a protocol for maritime safety represent a "responsible step" and added that it was "natural" for services related to maritime safety and environmental protection to involve certain fees. "We are not seeking to collect tolls; the actions of Iran and Oman to develop a protocol for the safe passage of ships are a responsible step," Baghaei said as quoted by Iranian state media Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. While denying the imposition of "tolls," Baghaei acknowledged that it is "natural" for services related to maritime safety and environmental monitoring to incur associated costs. "It is natural that in this process, the services provided and the protection of the environment require a fee," he added. Baghaei said both Iran and Oman support the use of the Strait of Hormuz for "free trade and safe passage" while also stressing the need to address regional security concerns. The spokesperson further alleged that the strategic waterway had previously been "misused" against the Islamic Republic through military aggression, in a veiled reference to the US naval blockade on Iranian ports. "We must also consider our own security and pay attention to the concerns of the global community. Iran and Oman believe in using this strait for free trade and safe passage," the spokesperson said. "What happened was the misuse of this Strait for military aggression against Iran," he added. Baghaei also noted the recent visit of Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister to Oman, which was aimed at discussing the establishment of a formal mechanism to ensure safe maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz. "Every responsible country welcomes the creation of this mechanism," he added. Last week, Iran announced the launch of a new regulatory body aimed at managing and monitoring operations related to the strategically important waterway, the Strait of Hormuz. The top security establishment of the Islamic Republic, the Supreme National Security Council, reposted a post on X where it stated that the official X account of the "Persian Gulf Strait Authority" (PGSA) is now operational. The PGSA introduced at the start of this month has been characterised as a new mechanism for governing maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. "In the Name of God. The official X account of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (#PGSA) is now live. Follow us for real-time updates on the Hormuz Strait operations and latest developments," the statement posted by the official account of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority said. The announcement signals the formal establishment of a dedicated body overseeing developments and operations linked to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes for global oil and energy shipments. (ANI)
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