Iran May Impose Fees on Strait of Hormuz Traffic: Senior Adviser

In an exclusive interview with NewsNation, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, outlined Iran's stance on several key issues, including the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear negotiations, and relations with the United States.

Rezaei emphasized that the United States must recognize Iran's rights under international law. "The first issue is that the American government must accept that the Iranian people have rights — rights recognized under international law, within which Iran operates. Iran's international relations are conducted within the framework of international law. America must accept these rights," he said. He specifically cited Iran's nuclear activities, stating that Iran operates within the Non-Proliferation Treaty and that there should be no interference.

Regarding nuclear weapons, Rezaei denied that Iran is pursuing an atomic bomb. "When official American and other countries’ intelligence agencies say Iran has not been pursuing an atomic bomb, you ask us whether we are — and it’s clear we were not. We have always, always declared this. We have always said we were not pursuing an atomic bomb," he said.

On the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaei described it as a vital national interest for Iran, both economically and in terms of national security. He noted that Iran has kept the strait open for 47 years despite prolonged wars. However, he indicated a shift in policy, suggesting that Iran may now impose fees for ships passing through the strait. "Regarding fees, there is a cost dimension to this matter. There is a tolls discussion, a fees discussion. Our current discussion is about service costs in the Strait of Hormuz," Rezaei said. He explained that these fees would cover security, environmental protection, and insurance mechanisms for ships. "These costs must be collected from those who are transporting oil through this strait," he added.

Rezaei also criticized the behavior of U.S. negotiators, particularly Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, accusing them of threatening Iran. He expressed skepticism about the prospects of a deal with the Trump administration. "We have still not seen any serious change in the behavior of Mr. Trump and his team. We feel they are simply buying time from us. They want to manage America’s domestic issues — for example, to get inflation and the banking crisis under control, hold the elections, and then the games will be over," he said. "We have yet to see a serious move, a turning point in American behavior. Therefore, we have very little hope that this agreement will actually happen."

According to Mehr News Agency, Rezaei's comments reflect Iran's hardened stance amid ongoing tensions with the United States over nuclear and regional issues.