Iranian Parliament Speaker Reveals Deal with the U.S.: 60-Day Free Period Ends, Then Ships in the Strait of Hormuz Will Be Charged! How Big Is the Impact on China?

According to a statement from Iran's Supreme National Security Council, under the Iran-U.S. Understanding Memorandum, all commercial vessels applying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz will be exempt from related fees for the next 60 days, with the costs borne by the Iranian government. However, based on the agreement unveiled by the Iranian Parliament Speaker, the Strait of Hormuz "will never return to its former state." After the 60-day free period ends, Iran plans to convert the free passage into a permanent charging system.

So, what impact could this have on China? According to partially disclosed tiered fee schemes, China, Russia, and other countries might be classified as "friendly nations," potentially enjoying exemptions or preferential treatment.

Nevertheless, even if Chinese ships are granted exemption, shipping companies may still shift costs from other routes onto their clients via surcharges. If China does not receive such exemption, and based on rumored charges—$100,000 to $120,000 per voyage for bulk carriers and up to $160,000 for tankers—the import costs would significantly rise.

Moreover, this incident will accelerate the global energy supply's "de-straitification," potentially weakening the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz over the long term. China’s previous vigorous development of new energy sources has thus proven exceptionally critical.

Additionally, Iran’s move may set a dangerous precedent: Turkey has already indicated it might follow suit by imposing tolls on the Bosporus Strait. Iran has explicitly demanded payment in Chinese yuan, Iranian rial, or cryptocurrency, further accelerating the global energy trade’s "de-dollarization" process—an opportunity for China.

In my view, given recent statements by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf regarding China, it is highly likely that Chinese cargo vessels will receive exemption. However, since this privilege remains at Iran’s discretion, true long-term security lies in securing control over one’s own destiny—for example, by developing an invincible navy.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868392453993540/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.