Iran has begun charging some commercial ships a fee for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg news agency reports.
Multiple unnamed sources told Bloomberg that Iran is demanding up to $2 million per passage on an ad hoc basis, which in practice constitutes an informal toll.
They added that some ships had paid the fee, but they could not say how the payment was made, nor what currency was used.
Bloomberg's sources estimate that the collection is not being done systematically.
The Iranian embassy in India denies that there is a toll for passage through the strait.
"In response to certain allegations regarding the alleged receipt of a sum of two million dollars by the Islamic Republic of Iran from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, it is emphasized that such allegations are unfounded. Statements made in this regard only reflect the personal views of individuals and in no way represent the official position of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the embassy said on the social network X.
About 20 percent of the world's oil and gas passes through Hormuz, as well as large quantities of other goods, and markets around the world are closely monitoring any change in control.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
