Iran says first Hormuz toll revenue deposited at central bank

Iran's first revenue from Strait of Hormuz tolls has been deposited at the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), Parliament Vice Speaker Hamidreza Haji Babaei admitted during a public gathering outside of Tehran, Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper reported on April 23. 

Iran was reportedly charging up to about $2mn per tanker for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with some reports also describing a per-barrel fee of around $1 for oil cargoes. 

The official said Iran had "successfully forced" the enemy to retreat and that the country was now in a position of dominance over the strait. "We have sovereignty over this strait, and the first revenue from Hormuz Strait tolls has been deposited into the Central Bank account," he said.

He said enemies had been attempting to trigger civil conflict, coup attempts and secession within Iran to prevent the country from reaching superpower status. The aim had been the formation of a greater Israel covering the region, including Islamic holy sites, but Iran had refused to submit to the US and Israel.

Haji Babaei said that around 90mn Iranians of all views stood together, with national unity "thwarting the enemy's efforts."

Some who had initially been affected by false news had returned to the people's side after realising the extent of the lies told about the Islamic Republic.

The vice speaker said any negotiations were banned until the US acknowledged defeat. "Any negotiation imposed from a US position of superiority is forbidden," he said.

Haji Babaei said the ceasefire was expiring and that the leader, nation and officials had unitedly rejected US maximalism. He said the US, which had previously made threats, was now unilaterally requesting an extension of the truce.

On the strait, Haji Babaei said: "This strait belongs to the Iranian nation and nobody has permission to discuss it with others."

Parliament would pass legislation on Hormuz. The US had pulled its ships back 200km out of fear. Two vessels had been seized so far for violations, with the number likely to increase.

He said if the US continued on its current path, no ship would pass through the strait. "We have no negotiations, we have demands. The demand of the Iranian nation is that the Strait of Hormuz belongs to Iran and all ships passing through this route must pay their tolls in rial to the Iranian nation."

Uranium enrichment and Iran's powerful missiles were the inalienable right of the Iranian nation, Haji Babaei said. Around 20% of global oil and 35% of gas passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

The vice speaker issued a warning to regional states. "Countries that provide hotel and airport facilities to terrorists to assassinate our personalities, we must target their airports, hotels, and kings simultaneously."

The announcement comes as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps recently released a video showing them board ships in the strait, as part of a projection of control over the narrow body of water.