Iran: 60-day Hormuz toll exemption, then fees, as protests reject US deal

Iran-US Deal: Tehran Clarifies Navigation Management to be Handled by Iran and Oman.. Protesters Accuse Negotiating Team of Negligence and Demand Transparency

Attention is turning to the path of negotiations between the United States and Iran as the signing date for an anticipated memorandum of understanding approaches, amid ongoing political and diplomatic indicators regarding files related to the Strait of Hormuz, cessation of military operations, and nuclear issues, coinciding with limited protests inside Iran opposing the anticipated deal and demanding more transparency regarding its provisions.

This comes as Iranian media outlets circulate details related to the next phase of the anticipated understanding, while no official full version of the memorandum has been published yet, and it has not been possible to independently verify all the circulating provisions regarding it.

Temporary Exemption from Fees and Plans to Regulate Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Fars News Agency reported, citing an informed source, that Iran will not impose fees on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, explaining that navigation will continue during this period without any additional fees.

The agency added that Tehran intends, after the deadline expires, to generate financial revenues from navigation traffic through the strait through services related to security, navigation, and insurance, without specifying an official date for beginning implementation of this mechanism.

Iranian media also indicated that the United States agreed “in principle” to the idea of imposing fees in the future, while Fars News Agency stated that the text of the Iranian-American memorandum of understanding stipulates that navigation regulation in the Strait of Hormuz will be the responsibility of Iran and Oman.

The Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the world’s most important maritime routes for oil and gas transportation, making any arrangements regarding its management or transit traffic of wide regional and international importance.

Upcoming Signing of Memorandum of Understanding in Switzerland

In the same context, US President Donald Trump and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharib Abadi confirmed on Sunday the completion of preparations for the memorandum of understanding between the two countries, with it to be signed in Switzerland on June 19.

According to statements by the Iranian Foreign Minister, the memorandum includes an immediate cessation of military operations on various fronts, including Lebanon, along with launching a negotiating track to address outstanding issues between the two sides.

Talk of an imminent signing comes after a period of political and military escalation between the two parties, amid wide international attention to the outcomes of the negotiations and their potential implications for regional security and global energy markets.

Protests Demand Clarification of Agreement Provisions

Alongside these developments, Tehran and other Iranian cities witnessed protest gatherings in recent days rejecting the anticipated agreement with the United States, according to field reports published by Al Jazeera.

During gatherings near the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Ferdowsi Street in the center of the capital, several participants expressed their objection to what they described as a lack of sufficient official information regarding the agreement’s provisions, demanding that authorities provide greater clarifications to the public.

Some protesters said they do not know the details of the files on the negotiating table, including the future of the Strait of Hormuz, uranium enrichment levels, war reparations, and mechanisms for dealing with economic sanctions.

Several of them recalled the experience of the 2015 nuclear agreement, considering that the current lack of transparency raises similar concerns among segments opposing the agreement.

There are no independent indicators by which to measure the level of popular support or opposition to the agreement within Iranian society in general, nor have official statements been issued clarifying the actual number of participants in these protests.

Fears of Conceding Strategic Files

Part of the criticism raised by participants in the protests focused on what they considered the possibility of making concessions on strategic files, including the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear program, and Iran’s regional policies.

Some protesters believed that continued ambiguity regarding these files increases the state of concern and doubts, while Iranian authorities have not yet announced comprehensive official details regarding the final provisions of the anticipated understanding.

These concerns remain within the framework of positions and opinions expressed by protesters and participants in the gatherings, in the absence of the full text of the agreement being published or its details being officially confirmed.

Two Different Readings of the Reasons for the Protests

In interpreting the protests, political analyst Mehdi Khorsand said the main reason behind the state of objection is the absence of a clear official narrative explaining to the public the nature of the understanding being negotiated, considering that the lack of information opened the door to rumors, leaks, and conflicting interpretations.

He added that a number of protesters are driven by concerns about the future of Iran’s strategic files, and that their primary demands consist of obtaining more information and clarity about the negotiation path.

In contrast, academic and political analyst Mehdi Arab Sadegh offered a different reading, considering that some of the movements reflect a political conflict within the Iranian elite more than being an expression of widespread popular rejection of the agreement.

He said that some parties opposing the current negotiations had previously opposed other figures and political paths in past years, considering that the dispute is largely related to the debate over the directions of Iranian foreign policy and the means of managing it.

Between External Understanding and Internal Debate

As Iran and the United States approach the signing of a new memorandum of understanding, internal discussions continue simultaneously regarding the implications of the agreement and its potential effects on political, security, and economic files.

In the absence of the full text of the memorandum so far, many of the circulating details regarding it remain subject to upcoming official announcements, while the debate continues inside Iran over the future of issues related to the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear program, and relations with Washington – files expected to remain at the forefront of the scene in the coming phase.

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