Oman said that there will be no "passage fees" in the Strait of Hormuz, after earlier announcing that it was studying with Iran "withholdings" that could be charged for services related to the management of this strategic strait, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi indicated that "future agreements regarding the strait do not include the collection of passage fees".
These statements were made during a meeting in Manama between foreign ministers from the Persian Gulf countries and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reiterated Washington's categorical position against the introduction of transit fees, expressing fears of "complete chaos".
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced today that safe passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is possible only through routes controlled by Iran, and that any new corridor announced without coordination with Tehran is "unacceptable".
According to the IRGC, this is a security risk. The Guard announced that it will take action against ships that do not comply with the requirements in this regard set by Tehran.
Earlier, Oman announced that it had coordinated its actions with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to provide a temporary sea corridor for ships wishing to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This was reported by the Omani state news agency, quoted by Reuters.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.