Iran has altered the routes of oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most গুরুত্বপূর্ণ maritime corridors. Since the war began on February 28, vessels are no longer allowed to pass through the middle of this 21-mile-wide channel; instead, they are being forced to travel very close to Iran’s coastline and between Qeshm Island and Larak Island. Internationally, this system has come to be known as the “Tehran Tollbooth.”
According to a Bloomberg report, shipowners must now go through a complex and costly negotiation process via intermediary companies linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), providing detailed information about cargo type, destination, and actual ownership. Iran is currently charging at least $1 per barrel of oil as a “toll” for passage through the route. The fee may increase depending on the depth of diplomatic relations with Iran. Payments are being made in Chinese yuan or cryptocurrency. Estimates suggest that a single oil tanker pays around $2 million in toll fees. Once approved, IRGC speedboats escort the vessels through the so-called toll zone.
This informal and незаконal ব্যবস্থা is being seen as one of Iran’s biggest strategic gains in its confrontation with the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has made shutting down this toll system a key objective of the recently announced two-week ceasefire. He has clearly stated that a condition of the ceasefire is the “complete, immediate, and safe reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran responded by saying that any transit must be conducted “jointly” with its military forces. At one point, Trump also joked, “We’re the winners, so why shouldn’t we collect the toll?”
Gulf countries are increasingly concerned that after a major bombing campaign, Trump might leave the Middle East while allowing Tehran to retain control over the Strait. Countries like Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Bahrain—lacking alternative pipelines and heavily dependent on LNG shipments—may be forced to pay these tolls. India, too, may accept the burden and continue sending its own tankers.
Reuters columnist Hugo Dixon estimates that within the time required to build new pipelines, Tehran could generate around $500 billion from toll revenues over the next five years. This massive income could help the Shia-majority state expand its regional influence and allow the IRGC to rebuild its damaged military capabilities.
Atlantic Council Global Energy Center senior fellow Ellen R. Wald warned, “If Iran continues operating this ‘tollbooth,’ the war may never truly end. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will not accept it; eventually, they will have to form a military response.” She also noted that Iran’s “shadow fleet” of tankers is now transporting twice as much oil as before the war and generating double the profit.
Meanwhile, King’s College London senior lecturer Andreas Krieg believes that these toll revenues could enable the IRGC to build a powerful military authoritarian system, strengthening financial and military ties with Russia and China.
Under international maritime law, no country is allowed to obstruct navigation through strategic waterways. Experts argue that, historically, attempts to block chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz are ultimately resolved through major military confrontation or the use of force. A stable toll system in such a critical passage is unlikely to last long. Bloomberg further reports that shipowners are still being forced into complex, expensive negotiations through IRGC-linked intermediaries, providing full disclosure of cargo type, destination, and ownership details before being allowed passage.
Tehran’s $500 billion ‘tollbooth’ could change the Middle East forever
