The Islamic Republic's Maritime Extortion; Strait of Hormuz Tolls or Taking Global Trade Hostage?

The Islamic Republic's maritime extortion, with its tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, will become a tool for holding global trade hostage and destabilizing the international economy.

While the Strait of Hormuz has always been known as one of the world's most vital energy arteries, new reports show that the Islamic Republic has effectively turned this international passage into a tool for pressure and revenue generation by creating an informal toll collection mechanism; an action that many analysts describe as not an economic policy, but a form of "organized extortion."

According to a report from the Telegraph newspaper, since late February, the route of oil tankers in this strategic waterway has changed, and instead of passing through conventional routes, ships have been forced to approach the Iranian coast and pass through routes that are under the direct supervision of forces affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In this mechanism, known as the “Tehran surcharge,” shipowners must go through a complex and costly process, including providing full cargo and ownership information to networks linked to the Revolutionary Guard. Then, according to sources such as Bloomberg, at least $1 is collected as a fee for each barrel of oil, a figure that increases depending on the countries’ political relations with Tehran.

These payments are also made in an unusual manner and outside the formal financial system, mainly in Chinese yuan or digital currencies; an issue that has increased concerns about circumventing sanctions and strengthening the Islamic Republic's financial resources.

The cost of an oil tanker passing through this system is on average around $2 million, and if approved, Iranian military vessels will escort the ships. According to analysts, this process is not only contrary to the principles of international law, but also a direct threat to the principle of “innocent passage” in international waterways.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has declared that any ceasefire with Iran is conditional on the “full, immediate, and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.” In contrast, Tehran has insisted that the passage of ships must be done in coordination with Iranian military forces, a position that effectively calls into question the principle of freedom of navigation.

An Iranian official also confirmed in an interview with the Associated Press that even within the framework of possible agreements, it would be possible to continue receiving these fees.

Warnings indicate that if this trend continues, the consequences will go beyond the region. “Iran has learned how to hold the global economy hostage,” said Petras Katinas of the Royal United Services Institute.

On the other hand, Reuters analyst Hugo Dixon has estimated that Tehran could earn up to $500 billion from this area over the next five years; even a portion of which could lead to rebuilding military power and increasing the Islamic Republic's regional influence.

This situation has raised deep concerns among Gulf states. Countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, which do not have access to alternative routes, may be forced to pay these costs in the short term, effectively strengthening government finances, which many see as destabilizing the region.

In this regard, Alan Wald from the Atlantic Council think tank has emphasized that it is unlikely that this situation will continue after the end of the conflicts, and that countries in the region will ultimately be forced to take military action.

The move also faces serious legal challenges. According to international conventions on the law of the sea, no country has the right to collect tolls from ships in natural international straits, and such fees are only allowed in artificial canals such as the Suez or Panama Canal. However, Iran has claimed in correspondence with the International Maritime Organization that these fees are collected for the inspection of suspicious ships, a claim that has been described by experts as unacceptable and close to extortion.

Many international observers also warn that if this trend becomes established, it could become a dangerous pattern, with countries like Russia and China also taking control of and collecting tolls from other strategic straits, a situation that would lead to the collapse of the legal order governing the seas.

However, the severity of the economic and security consequences of this policy is such that many analysts believe that such a mechanism will face severe, even military, reactions before it is fully established.

In sum, what is taking place in the Strait of Hormuz today is not simply a regional conflict, but a test of the global economic order and the fundamental question of whether vital international trade routes can become a tool of political and financial pressure on a government.