Iran has effectively turned the Strait of Hormuz into a controlled passage system, according to Bloomberg, allowing only ships from “friendly” countries to pass safely while restricting or threatening those tied to the US, Israel, and other hostile states.

Under the reported arrangement, ship operators must submit ownership, cargo, flag, crew, and tracking data to an intermediary linked to the IRGC, which then vets the vessel for links to the US, Israel, or other adversaries. If approved, the ship negotiates a toll, reportedly starting at around $1 per barrel for oil tankers, often paid in Chinese yuan or stablecoins, after which it receives a permit code, route instructions, and in some cases is required to sail under the flag, or even registration, of a country that has secured passage deals with Tehran.

Once near Hormuz, the vessel reportedly broadcasts its code and is escorted through by Iranian patrol boats along a designated coastal corridor, a process some in the shipping industry have already dubbed the “Iranian tollbooth.”

https://t.me/thecradlemedia/56266