Tehran has unveiled a set of conditions it claims will govern its management of the strategic waterway going forward. Although the US has yet to explicitly endorse these terms ahead of a scheduled meeting in Islamabad on Saturday, experts warn that Iran’s continued dominance over the strait will likely face resistance from Washington and other nations.
During the recent crisis, only a limited number of vessels from countries deemed friendly to Iran and those that have paid a toll have been granted safe passage. It is reported that at least two tolls have been paid in Chinese yuan, a move that appears to be a deliberate attempt to undermine the US dollar and circumvent US sanctions. Notably, China, which accounts for 80 percent of Iran’s oil exports, has already been paying Tehran in yuan.