40 Countries Including Panama are now Considering Sanctions Against Iran and Oppose Tolls in the Strait of Hormuz
Last Tuesday, the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission approved a bill establishing toll payments in the Strait of Hormuz. Countries unite against Iran. 40 Countries Propose Sanctions against Iran and Reject Tolls in the Strait of Hormuz.
Some 40 countries agreed to explore the possibility of imposing sanctions on Iran if it keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed and rejected any attempt to impose tolls on ships transiting this strategic passage, following a virtual meeting convened by the United Kingdom. The participating governments, chaired by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, stressed their determination to “ensure freedom of navigation and reopen” that maritime route, which Tehran has kept closed since the US and Israel began the war against Iran on February 28, which responded with attacks on ships sailing through the Persian Gulf.
Last Tuesday, the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission approved a bill establishing tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, without specifying the amount, and prohibiting the transit of US and Israeli ships. The Tasnim news agency, linked to the Revolutionary Guard, indicated that the payment could amount to two million dollars (1.7 million euros) per ship or a cargo-based system, similar to the Suez Canal. The statement released in London notes that the passage is “one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors,” used to transport vital supplies such as fertilizers for Africa and hydrocarbons that supply homes, air transport, and international trade.
Attacks on water infrastructure are uncommon in times of war, but they erupted in the Middle East with bombings against desalination plants, an essential sector for millions of people in the region.
The allied countries discussed increasing diplomatic pressure and “exploring coordinated economic and political measures, such as sanctions, if the strait remains closed.” The statement also highlights that they will cooperate with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to “ensure the release of thousands of ships and sailors trapped in the strait.” The Secretary-General of the IMO, Arsenio Dominguez, who also attended the meeting, called for avoiding “fragmented responses” and seeking “practical and neutral” solutions to free the approximately 2,000 ships with some 20,000 sailors on board stranded in the Gulf since the start of the conflict.
