With its stranglehold on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf toward the open ocean, Iran has been blocking ships it perceives as linked to the U.S. and Israeli war effort, but letting through a trickle of others.

Iran is also instituting a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime,” industry experts say, with some ships paying in Chinese yuan to pass through the strait, where 20% of all traded oil and natural gas is transported in peacetime. According to previous reports, Iran is demanding fees of up to $2 million.

The Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted lawmaker Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi as saying that parliament was working to formalize the process of charging fees to let ships pass.

“The Parliament is pursuing a plan to formally codify Iran’s sovereignty, control, and oversight over the Strait of Hormuz, while also creating a source of revenue through the collection of fees,” he said. “We provide its security, and it is natural that ships and oil tankers should pay such fees.”

Lloyd’s List Intelligence called it a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime.”

The shipping intelligence firm said vessels have to provide manifests, crew details, and their destination to Iran’s Guard for sanctions screening, cargo alignment checks that currently prioritize oil over all other commodities, and for what is described as ‘geopolitical vetting.’”

“While not all ships are paying a direct toll, at least two vessels have, and the payment is settled in yuan,” Lloyd’s List said, referring to China’s currency.

Iran’s grip on the strait and relentless attacks on Gulf regional energy infrastructure have sent oil prices skyrocketing and concerns of a global energy crisis surging. Brent crude, the international standard, traded at US$104 early Thursday, up more than 40% from the day the war started.

Emirati oil executive Sultan al-Jaber, the head of the massive state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., called out Iran’s actions as “economic terrorism.”

Speaking at an event at the Middle East Institute in Washington, he said: “Weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz is not an act of aggression against one nation. It is economic terrorism against every consumer, every family that depends on affordable energy and food. When Iran holds Hormuz hostage, every nation pays the ransom, at the gas pump, at the grocery store and at the pharmacy. No country can be allowed to destabilize the global economy in this way. Not now. Not ever.”

Meanwhile, a strike group anchored by the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli drew closer to the Mideast with some 2,500 Marines. Also, at least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne have been ordered to the region.

The troop movements don’t guarantee U.S. President Donald Trump will try to use force to compel Iran to open the strait and halt its attacks on Gulf Arab states.

Trump previously deployed a large force in the Caribbean before the American military captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January. In the current situation, the U.S. is seen as focused on possibly seizing Iran’s oil terminal at Kharg Island or other sites near the strait.

(AP & YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)