Iran and Oman (a neutral sultanate on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula that has long mediated between Tehran and Washington) are advancing plans to charge vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which much of the world's oil and gas passes, despite public US opposition. Oman recently submitted a formal proposal to the United States and Western allies outlining a service-fee system for ships using the strait, with Iran insisting any such payments would be mandatory while Oman frames them as voluntary — a distinction that matters for compliance with international law. A 60-day peace framework signed this month between the US and Iran temporarily guarantees free commercial passage, but the strait's long-term status remains the central unresolved issue in ongoing negotiations, with Iran's foreign minister declaring that Hormuz will not return to its pre-war, toll-free status.