Iran is proceeding with one of the most decisive geopolitical moves of recent decades, redefining the control and management of one of the most important maritime passages in the world: the Strait of Hormuz.
The new strategy of Tehran is not simply an administrative reform, but a profound political and national shift, directly comparable to the historic nationalization of Iran’s oil industry.
The first vice president of the Iranian parliament, Ali Nikzad, described this new approach as a turning point in the exercise of national sovereignty, emphasizing that the management of the Strait of Hormuz now acquires strategic importance equivalent to that of the country’s historic energy decisions.
The control it imposes on the straits through transit fees is based on a more ... intelligent economic practice, it is neither so large as to cause a problem in the global oil supply but sufficient to hit the economy of the kingdoms of the Persian Gulf that aligned with their geopolitical rival.
A new framework for navigation control
At the center of the new policy is a comprehensive 12-point plan, which was officially presented and radically changes the rules of navigation in the region.
According to Nikzad, ships linked to Israel will no longer be allowed to pass through the Straits, while ships of countries considered hostile to Iran will not receive passage permits unless they compensate the country for damages related to previous conflicts.
Even more importantly, from now on, every ship wishing to pass through the Straits must obtain explicit permission from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
This is a development that turns Iran into a key regulator of global navigation in one of the most critical energy passages on the planet.
Sovereignty with international legitimacy
Despite the radical nature of the measures, the Iranian side insists that the changes will be implemented with respect for international law and the rights of neighboring countries.
However, the message is clear: Tehran does not intend to retreat on its sovereign rights.
The statement that "navigation will never be the same again" underlines Iran’s will to impose a new control regime, which reflects the new geopolitical realities after the recent conflicts.
Historical comparison with oil nationalization
The comparison made by Ali Nikzad with the nationalization of the oil industry is not accidental.
That decision had marked the liberation of Iran from foreign control over its energy resources.
Today, the management of the Strait of Hormuz appears to be the next step in this course, the recovery of full control over a critical geoeconomic hub through which a significant percentage of global energy passes.
Internal strengthening and reconstruction
Alongside geopolitical moves, Iran is also placing emphasis on internal reconstruction.
Nikzad praised the work of the governor of Hormozgan province, Mohammad Ashouri Taziani, for the effective management of critical infrastructure during the conflict.
This success paves the way for granting increased powers to local authorities, with the aim of faster restoration of ports, airports and homes that were affected.
The message to international shipping
One of the most characteristic elements of the plan is the requirement that all passing ships use the term "Persian Gulf" during the passage application.
The chairman of the parliamentary committee on civil affairs, Mohammad Rezaei Kochi, emphasized that this constitutes an inalienable right of the Iranian people.
This move is not only symbolic, but is part of a broader effort to strengthen national identity and international recognition of Iranian positions.
A new era for Iran and the world
The new strategy for managing the Strait of Hormuz marks Iran’s entry into a new era, where the country is no longer limited to a defensive role, but assumes a leading position in shaping international developments.
With a combination of political will, strategic thinking and national unity, Tehran appears determined to leverage its geographical position for the benefit of its national power.
The message to the international community is clear: Iran is no longer a simple observer, but an active shaper of the global order, and the Strait of Hormuz is at the center of this historic transition.
How the fees will be paid and the price that the states of the Persian Gulf will pay
The details remain unclear as, of course, a final agreement has not been reached, with the Financial Times and Bloomberg having reported that the Islamic Republic intends to impose a charge of 1 dollar per barrel, payable in bitcoin, for every cargo leaving the Persian Gulf.
The Iranian government obviously benefits, but the key question is: who ultimately pays this cost?
This issue, known in economics as "tax incidence", constitutes an important difference between the Austrian school of economics and mainstream economic theory.
The economics of “transit fees”
Initially, the fee is paid directly by the owners of ships and oil cargoes.
During the ceasefire period, approximately 2,000 ships were trapped in the Persian Gulf, although not all were tankers.
For these cargoes, the cost is an immediate loss.
However, once the fee is established, it becomes a calculable cost.
Can companies pass it on elsewhere?
According to an economic law, "no tax can be passed forward".
That is, the seller cannot simply increase the price so that the consumer pays it, because prices are determined by supply and demand.
In the short term, the companies paying the fee bear it fully, as they do not have many alternative uses for the oil already loaded on tankers.
In the long term, who bears the burden
Over time, however, the cost is passed backward, to the oil producers.
The price of oil at the source, at the field, will be lower by the amount of the fee compared to the global price.
Thus, the value of oil fields is also reduced.
The cost ultimately falls on their owners, mainly state companies such as:
1) Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia)
2) Kuwait Oil Company (Kuwait)
3) Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (United Arab Emirates)
In other words, the countries of the Persian Gulf will essentially share oil revenues with Iran.
A “tolerable” fee - Production cost and price
Paradoxically, the fee itself is not expected to disrupt the global oil market.
For prices to rise, supply must decrease.
This will only happen if the fee makes production unviable.
However, Gulf oil has low production costs:
1) Approximately 9.9 dollars per barrel in Saudi Arabia
2) 12.3 dollars in the United Arab Emirates
3) 8.5 dollars in Kuwait
Therefore, even with low prices, production remains profitable.
Only a few marginal fields may be affected.
Therefore, the fee is not expected to reduce global supply or increase prices, unless Persian Gulf countries decide to limit production for political reasons.
Political and monetary implications
Iran has also achieved a major strategic victory:
1) It does not directly harm allies such as China
2) It does not strongly disrupt the global economy
3) It forces its rivals in the Gulf to pay it part of their revenues
If the fee is paid in currencies such as the rial, the yuan or bitcoin, demand for these is strengthened and the petrodollar is weakened, something that indirectly affects the USA.
The intelligent economic tactic
The fee itself is not the cause of disruptions in the oil market.
The real damage comes from the destruction of infrastructure and production capacity due to war, which has been estimated in total to exceed 56 billion dollars.
The fee simply redistributes revenues, the countries of the Gulf pay the price for their geopolitical position and their alliances.
If the Strait of Hormuz remains open and the toll continues, Iran will gain significant revenues for its reconstruction without drastically disrupting the global oil market.
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