Iran is considering banning US and Israeli ships from sailing through the Strait of Hormuz in a move likely to anger Donald Trump.
Under a draft plan being reviewed by Iran’s parliament, US and Israeli-flagged vessels, or “other hostile states or entities linked to them” would be blocked from the waterway.
The proposal, reported by Iranian state media PressTV, would threaten to derail talks between Iran and Oman to reopen the strait.
Mr Trump claimed this week that a deal to restore the strait, once a conduit for one-fifth of the world’s oil, could be agreed within days.
Alireza Salimi, a member of the parliament’s presiding board, said: “It would also prohibit the entry and exit of military or warships, as well as vessels involved in espionage, spying or actions deemed contrary to Iran’s national security.”
Any military or non-military cargo destined for or departing from Israel and various Palestinian territories would also be blocked, according to state media.
It would also give Iran power to block vessels that it deems “problematic” for whatever reason by claiming it is a threat to its national security.
Proposals floated in recent days around future management of Hormuz have already largely appeared to settle on an arrangement that would allow Iran to maintain leverage over the strategic waterway.
Various potential iterations have circulated, with more recent proposals seeing vessels enter Hormuz on an Iran-controlled route, and exiting an Oman-controlled route. Oman is located on the other side, directly opposite Iran, along the strait.
Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Oman – REUTERS
A sticking point has been the issue of whether Iran would collect any fees, which Mr Trump has repeatedly said would not be acceptable.
Despite that, Iran and Oman are in discussion to divide voluntary “service fees” paid by shipping firms, which are essentially a toll dressed up as costs to cover services rendered or to mitigate environmental degradation.
This, too, was in the proposal that Mr Salimi discussed on Iranian state media.
“The bill further envisages Iran collecting fees for navigation, supervision, management and security services, with priority given to payments in the Iranian national currency,” according to Mr Salimi’s remarks on PressTV.
“Until such compensation is made, they would not be granted permission to transit the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf.”
Penalty fees could also be assessed – up to 20 per cent of the value of the cargo carried and the vessel involved – for those violating the rules.