Iran's parliament is reviewing a draft bill that would significantly tighten state control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, including by banning vessels linked to the United States, Israel and other countries Tehran designates as hostile, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported Thursday.
Tasnim cited Abbas Salimi, a member of parliament's presiding board, as saying the preliminary text of the Strategic Action for the Security and Sustainable Development of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf is being reviewed by parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.
Under the draft, vessels belonging to the United States, Israel and other countries Iran considers hostile would be barred from transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The proposal would also prohibit the passage of military and civilian cargo linked to Israel, as well as vessels or cargo deemed to have supported operations against what Iran calls the "Axis of Resistance."
Countries and individuals deemed responsible for causing damage to Iran would be denied permission to transit the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf until compensation is paid, according to the draft.
The bill also proposes heavy penalties for violations, including fines of up to 20% of a vessel's cargo value.
Under the proposal, the government would be required to work with the armed forces to oversee navigation, monitor vessel movements and ensure security and environmental protection in the Persian Gulf.
Salimi said the bill remains under expert review and that parliament has invited specialists to submit recommendations before the text is finalized, according to Tasnim.
The draft comes amid heightened tensions over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz following months of regional confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Israel. During that period, Iranian officials repeatedly warned that they could restrict maritime traffic through the strategic waterway if Tehran's security interests were threatened.
The proposal also comes as Tehran and Muscat continue negotiations on a new framework for managing navigation through the strait. The process followed an Iran-US memorandum of understanding reached in June to end the conflict, under which Iran and Oman were tasked with negotiating new arrangements for maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.
Earlier Thursday, Tasnim cited an informed Iranian Foreign Ministry source as saying the proposed framework would initially retain the existing northern and southern shipping lanes before phasing them out in favor of a centrally managed corridor.
Under the plan, inbound vessel traffic would be managed by Iran, while outbound traffic would be jointly managed by Iran and Oman after the transition, according to the report. Ships transiting the strait would pay fees for maritime services—including insurance, bunkering and environmental protection—rather than cargo-based transit tolls.
The source also rejected reports that Tehran and Muscat were divided over proposed charges of 7% or 3% of a vessel's cargo value, saying the fees would instead depend on the scope of maritime services provided.
