Bahrain opposes permits or fees for ships transiting Strait of Hormuz

Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said his country firmly rejects the imposition of any permit or fee system for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking during the high-level general debate at the United Nations General Assembly, Al Zayani added that targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, laying mines in an international shipping lane, and imposing restrictions on transit are actions that violate international law.

Al Zayani stressed that Bahrain’s position is based on international law, affirming that the strait is an international waterway and that the right of passage for ships is guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He added that Bahrain rejects the use of international waterways as a means of pressure, economic blackmail, or seizure of ships. He warned that accepting such practices in one international waterway could open the door to similar demands in other routes vital to global trade, emphasizing that resorting to alternative routes should not replace adherence to international law.