Iran is preparing legislation that would impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state-aligned media.
Traffic in the waterway, a critical shipping route, has effectively come to a standstill since the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran began almost four weeks ago. Subsequent supply constraints, along with attacks on energy facilities and regional production shutdowns, have pushed oil prices into triple digits.
Revolutionary Guard-aligned news agency Fars said overnight that a lawmaker had told its reporter the plans to impose tolls were also a bid to officialize Iranian supervision over the Strait of Hormuz.
They have everything to lose if other countries provide support to the U.S. Iran is already infringing upon Oman’s sovereignty by stopping ships from transiting the straight through its territorial waters. Not allowing neutral third parties to use the straight bribe-free incentives otherwise neutral countries to side against it.
That’s like being in a bar fight with an MMA fighter and being worried that their 90 lb weakling friend might join in.
Edit: to be clear, though, the main intent of my previous comment wasn’t about the US’ military might. I was really just trying to allude to why, from a realpolitik perspective, it was fucking stupid of the US to attack in the first place.