New arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz will provide special facilities to China: Iranian Ambassador

Iran's ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, has stated that China will be granted special privileges under the proposed new arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, Tehran and Muscat are reviewing the mechanism for the service fee imposed on ships passing through this vital waterway.

Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said during the World Peace Forum in Beijing that China is a friendly country. Tehran will take this into account when determining the level and nature of special facilities for Chinese ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz; however, according to a report by the German news agency "DPA", he did not elaborate on the details of these facilities.

The Iranian ambassador further stated that after the US and Israeli war, this issue has become a matter of national security for his country, and he emphasized that new arrangements will be made in cooperation and coordination with the Sultanate of Oman.

Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli's statements come amid international controversy over Iran's intention to impose a so-called service fee on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This is a proposal that faces opposition from the US, Europe, and the Gulf due to the importance of this waterway in global energy dynamics. Circulating estimates suggest that around 20% of global oil trade passes through this strait.

Iran and Oman have discussed new arrangements for navigation management in the Strait of Hormuz over the past weeks. Muscat has emphasized in previous statements that any future organization should be within the framework of international law and should not be turned into a mandatory transit fee. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive sea routes, as it connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, and a large portion of oil and gas exports pass through it to Asian markets, particularly China. China is the largest energy importer in the region.

The Iranian ambassador's statements reflect Tehran's tendency to link new arrangements in the strait to its political and economic relations with countries, especially those it considers friends. All this is happening at a time when the mechanism for managing this route and the proposed service fee are still the subject of widespread international controversy.