According to officials, Iran is proposing security, protection and environmental protection
service fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz that could generate about
$40 bln a year for participating states if implemented. Officials say the plan
would give Tehran cash flow and control it did not previously possess and is
modeled on international precedents including the Dardanelles, where Turkey
levies a transit charge known as the "gold franc." Iran is pitching the proposal
to Gulf neighbors and other countries and seeks to include them in a
revenue-sharing arrangement. Parliament speaker Ghalibaf visited Oman on Tuesday
to discuss the proposal, saying management of the strait will not revert to the
previous status quo.
