Iran has begun imposing transit fees on commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, marking an expansion of Tehran’s control over the critical maritime energy corridor.

The fees, reaching up to $2 million per voyage, are being requested on an informal basis from select vessels, according to a report from Bloomberg News, citing people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. Some ships have paid the charges, though details about the payment mechanism and currency used remain unclear, and the system does not appear to be applied consistently.

The payments have been conducted discreetly, according to people familiar with the situation. The absence of clear guidelines and uncertainty about which vessels might be targeted next is creating additional complications for shipping through the strait. Since the war began, only a small number of vessels have transited the waterway, with many of them linked to Iran. Some of the remaining ships have traveled along routes closer to Iran’s coastline.

Source: Investing.com