Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The International Maritime Organization's Council condemned recent attacks on civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane through which about one-fifth of oil and natural gas exports previously passed. The Council called for swift de-escalation and emphasized that the right of transit passage through international navigation straits must not be threatened or impeded. It underscored that measures regulating maritime traffic must comply with IMO regulations under the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea. Furthermore, the Council stressed that any agreement between littoral States should ensure non-discriminatory and unimpeded passage through the established traffic separation scheme adopted by the IMO in 1968.
US President Donald Trump stated via social media that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open and announced the US would reinstate its blockade on Iranian ports. He also said the US would impose a 20% fee on all goods passing through the waterway, describing this toll as necessary to provide "safety and security." Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by agreeing with Trump's assessment but noted Iran would charge a lower rate and "will be fair." The IMO Council, however, maintained that passage should remain toll-free in accordance with international law and the 1948 IMO Convention.
The Council requested the UN Secretary-General to explore options to ensure safe maritime traffic and collaborate with littoral States, other Member States, and the maritime industry to coordinate a sustainable return to unhindered passage. This comes amid ongoing humanitarian and economic impacts linked to the near-continuous closure of the Strait of Hormuz since February. An ACAPS report highlighted global commodity price shocks, with the World Bank noting a 24% rise in global energy prices following the conflict's onset.