Iran parliament committee backs ship fees in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee approved a clause in a bill that would pave the way for Tehran to levy charges on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to CNN Indonesia, the fees would cover navigation and environmental services, fuel supplies in certain cases, insurance, security and other services provided in the strait. Separately, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned that ships violating transit rules could be fined, detained or seized on a later voyage. The Strait of Hormuz has become a point of dispute in Iran-U.S. talks after war broke out in February and follow-up discussions stalled over shipping arrangements.