The Iranian regime has been accused of extortion and threats to global energy security after reports emerged that Tehran has begun charging up to $2 million (€1.7 million) per vessel for "safe passage" through the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait is the world's most indispensable energy corridor, squeezed between Iran and Oman. Before the Iran war, it carried a fifth of all the oil and gas consumed worldwide.
Tehran justifies the fees as war reparations for damage suffered during US-Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic, as well as payment for "navigational services," environmental protection and enhanced security.
Iran said it was drafting a joint protocol with Oman to require ships to obtain permits before transiting the strait.
While some Asian shipping firms and smaller operators have quietly coughed up, major global players are refusing to pay, while the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank labeled the tolls a maritime "protection racket."
