French Finance Minister Opposes Payment of Strait of Hormuz Transit Fees
Iran – French Economy and Finance Minister Roland Lescure stated on April 16 that the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for exports in the Gulf region, must be reopened, "but not at any cost," as he opposed imposing transit fees.
Speaking at a press conference following the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Washington, Lescure emphasized, "The crux of the Middle East conflict lies in the Strait of Hormuz."
"We need it open, but not at any cost… I'm not willing to pay $1 per barrel just to pass through. This narrow passage is essential for one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments, which has been blocked by Iran since the outbreak of the conflict."
According to the renowned maritime publication Lloyd's List, Tehran has actually already begun charging sea transit fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Elysée Palace sources, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will jointly host a video conference on Friday to discuss deploying a "multilateral and purely defensive operation" to the Strait of Hormuz.
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure also attended a smaller G7 finance ministers’ meeting on Wednesday, where he noted that "the situation is widely regarded as serious."
He particularly highlighted concerns about inflation driven by soaring energy prices.
At the same press briefing, French central bank governor François Villeroy de Galhau stated that monetary institutions "will act without hesitation when necessary, but will not rush." He cautioned that "central banks have made clear: we need to gather sufficient data before deciding whether to adjust interest rates."
Source: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862665236743176/
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