Iran's proposal to charge ships up to $2 million to transit the Strait of Hormuz has ignited a fierce debate over maritime law and international commerce. The announcement follows a fragile ceasefire between Tehran and Washington, with the Revolutionary Guards already collecting piecemeal fees from vessels during recent conflict.

Legal experts warn the plan could overturn centuries of maritime law. The Ottomans once charged similar tolls on the Dardanelles, collecting about 300 akçe (roughly $15,000 today) for wheat shipments. Modern conventions explicitly forbid such fees on international waterways, though the Suez and Panama canals remain exceptions under specific treaties.

Analysts estimate formalizing Hormuz tolls could generate $5-8 billion annually for Iran and Oman. But the proposal faces strong opposition from shipping groups and governments who argue it violates international law. With neither Iran nor the US having ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the dispute highlights the strategic waterway's unique legal status and the ongoing tensions over control of global shipping chokepoints.