Iran’s parliament is reviewing a plan to ban ships linked to the U.S., Israel and other “hostile countries” from transiting the Strait of Hormuz until Tehran is compensated for war damage, according to Iranian state media.

The plan would impose fees of up to 7% of cargo value on commercial vessels that pass through the strait. It would also fine ships 20% of cargo if they violate Iran’s conditions.

Iran on Wednesday said it was finalizing an agreement on shipping routes with Oman, a U.S. ally that sits on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying that ships would enter through the strait’s northern corridor near the Iranian coast and exit through the southern corridor near the Omani coast.

Oman has not commented.

The Trump administration has disputed Iran’s characterization of the agreement.

“Any temporary routes will be without any impediments — meaning no approvals or permissions and no tolls or charges. The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway and no party controls the lanes or the ability to transit through them,” a U.S. official told NPR on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

President Trump later said the U.S. currently controls the strait through its naval blockade on Iran.

This comes more than five months after the U.S. and Israel started their war against Iran on Feb. 28.

The Strait of Hormuz — a key route for crude oil, liquefied natural gas and other goods — was open for shipping until the war. After Israel and the U.S. launched joint military attacks, Tehran struck back across the region and asserted control over the critical waterway. With Iran blocking the strait, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Iran in April and again in July, which it continues to enforce.

The Trump administration and Iran’s leadership signed a temporary memorandum of understanding in mid-June to stop the war and reopen the strait, but it broke down weeks later amid back-and-forth strikes.

The strait’s closure has caused a major disruption to fuel and fertilizer supplies, driven up prices and shaken economies around the world.

On Thursday, Trump said negotiations to reopen the strait were progressing.

Turkey’s foreign minister, who has been assisting in mediations, said on Thursday a temporary agreement between the U.S. and Iran could be announced soon.

Gulf countries, which have borne the brunt of Iran’s missile and drone attacks, are encouraging all sides to reach an interim agreement that would de-escalate tensions in the region. They are worried that if there is a new escalation in attacks — as Trump has threatened — their vital oil infrastructure could be targeted by Iranian drones and missiles, inflicting catastrophic damage.

Houthis attack Saudis

On Thursday, the Iran-backed Houthi militias launched attacks in Saudi Arabia, injuring 11, according to Saudi military spokesperson Turki Al-Malki.

Al-Malki said the Yemen-based Houthi militia carried out Thursday’s attacks “using indiscriminate shelling against civilian objects” in Najran region.

The majority of those injured were Saudis, among them a 4-year-old. The rest were Egyptian, Yemeni and Pakistani nationals, Al-Malki added in a statement.

The Houthis also said they attacked the military camps of Yemeni government forces in central Yemen on Thursday, killing dozens of troops. The Yemeni government forces are backed by Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis and Yemen’s government forces have been locked in a war for many years, which ended in a truce in 2022. That ceasefire has been tested since late July when Houthis announced a blockade on Saudi oil vessels in the Red Sea in retaliation for strikes from Saudi Arabia on the airport in Saana, Yemen’s capital.

The Houthis have accused Saudi Arabia of hitting the airport while an Iranian official was traveling through Yemen last month.

In recent weeks, Houthis have attacked several Saudi oil vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has relied on this waterway as an alternative route to export its oil after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the U.S. and Israel war on Iran.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey sign a mutual defense pact

On Friday, the governments of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed a joint defense agreement.

“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” an online statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.

The agreement combines the strengths of Saudi Arabia as an oil-rich country, nuclear-armed Pakistan and Turkey, a member of NATO with the alliance’s second largest military and a growing defense industry.

This deal comes after U.S. ally Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure has come under attack during the war with Iran, and as Pakistan and Turkey have played mediator roles in efforts to broker a peace deal.

Hadeel Al-Shalchi reported from Istanbul and Sameer Hashmi reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Alex Leff contributed to this story from Washington.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/07/iran-moves-to-ban-u-s-israeli-ships-from-hormuz-charge-toll/