Germany warns against Strait of Hormuz tolls

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned on Sunday against establishing a toll system for the Strait of Hormuz following the end of the US-Iran war.

The sea lane, which is crucial for global energy supplies, must remain freely navigable—this is a principle of the law of the sea, the German Press Agency (dpa) cited the minister as saying at a public forum at the Foreign Ministry during the German government’s Open House in Berlin.

Wadephul noted that the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran contains unclear wording, “which at least calls for a degree of skepticism as to whether this is truly 100 percent guaranteed.”

The German government will place great emphasis on the free passage of the Strait of Hormuz and will also take this into account when deciding whether, when, and how to lift sanctions against Iran, he said.

“If that happens, I believe the oil price could normalize relatively quickly,” Wadephul added.

American President Donald Trump has previously threatened to impose a US toll in the Strait of Hormuz if a final peace agreement is not reached.

The framework agreement stipulates that Iran may not charge any fees during the 60-day negotiations. Iran is to negotiate with Oman on how to proceed thereafter, in accordance with international law and with the involvement of neighboring countries.