IRAN is drafting regulations to charge vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz for maritime security and environmental services, the country's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.
Citing Shina Ansari, Iranian vice president and head of the Department of Environment, the agency reported that the preliminary draft has been completed recently, though the fee rates and specific collection mechanisms have yet to be determined.
It said the draft will be submitted for internal review and approval by Iran's Department of Environment before being forwarded to the relevant authorities for subsequent legal procedures.
According to Ansari, the proposed measures go beyond environmental fees, and they also cover maritime support, security services, and environmental services provided by coastal states to passing ships.
The vice president said that the Strait of Hormuz falls within the territorial waters and sovereign jurisdiction of Iran and Oman, and littoral states have the right to charge appropriate fees for services rendered in maintaining navigational safety, regional security, and environmental protection.
