Iran’s ambassador to China has said that new fees would be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, an idea rejected by Washington, while assuring that “friendly” nations would receive special treatment.

Leading European nations now acknowledge potential fees for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a shift in stance following the US-Iran conflict. While some Gulf Arab officials…

Monetizing the strait would be a dramatic change from before the war, when cargo ships transited without paying any fee.