Oman tells Europe Strait of Hormuz transit fees remain possible

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Oman has informed European officials that fees could be imposed on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and that a return to the pre-war order established before the US-Israeli offensive against Iran is no longer possible, according to a Bloomberg report on Friday. Oman told its European counterparts that charges could be applied for cleanup and navigation services in the strait, the agency reported. The United States, European countries and Oman's neighbors have grown increasingly concerned about the prospect of Oman and Iran establishing a payment system for commercial shipping passing through Hormuz, the report said. It remains unclear whether Oman will make the fees mandatory. The country is studying systems used by other states to control transit through other waterways, including the Strait of Malacca, according to Bloomberg. Iran has previously said a new legal framework for the strait was being prepared in coordination with its fellow coastal state, Oman. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strait, which for years had allowed free transit before the US-Israeli offensive, would not return to its previous arrangement. Under an agreement with the United States, Iran committed on June 18 to refrain from collecting ship transit fees for 60 days.