A 60-country coalition backed by the European Union has opposed any tolls, fees or other conditions imposed on commercial vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran claimed control over the strategic waterway and demanded payment from ships passing through it. The move comes as shipping through the route has sharply declined amid the escalating US-Iran conflict.
The declaration was issued by the European Union on Monday with support from all EU member states as well as Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore and 33 other countries. The signatories said they opposed measures that could obstruct lawful navigation through international straits or impose discriminatory restrictions on commercial vessels.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said international navigation should remain open to all vessels rather than become available only to those able to pay. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said 60 countries had joined the global “No Fee, No Toll” commitment and invited other countries to support it.
The EU declaration listed several measures it opposed, including unlawful charges, tolls, discriminatory restrictions, prior-approval requirements and other conditions that could hinder or damage lawful navigation through straits used for international shipping. Kallas described the collective backing as a diplomatic signal against attempts to use major sea routes for revenue generation or political pressure.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is a key passage for ships carrying oil, natural gas, food and other goods between the Middle East and global markets. The route’s importance means disruption can affect energy availability, transport costs and supply chains far beyond the region.
According to the report, the waterway has been disrupted since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran on February 28. Before the conflict, around 125 large commercial vessels reportedly passed through the strait each day. Shipping data cited in the report showed that only seven oil and gas vessels were recorded using the route on October 6.
Iran has maintained that it controls the Strait of Hormuz and has demanded payment from international vessels using the passage. Mohammadreza Naghdi, an adviser to the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said routes that Iran considers illegal, including the southern route near Oman, would soon be closed. He claimed that the strait was closed and that the IRGC had complete control over it until Iran’s demands were met.
The EU-backed declaration does not resolve the competing claims over control of the waterway or establish how the disputed toll demand would be enforced. The immediate diplomatic position of the signatories is that international shipping routes must remain open and cannot be subject to unlawful fees or politically imposed access conditions.
