ISTANBUL, May 16 — Iran has drawn up a mechanism to regulate maritime traffic through a designated route in the Strait of Hormuz and will charge fees “for the specialised services” provided under the system, a senior lawmaker said today, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

“In this process, only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran will benefit from it,” Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, wrote on the US social media company X.

Noting that Tehran will unveil the plan shortly, Azizi added: “This route will remain closed to the operators of the so called ‘freedom project.’”

The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, alongside the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Since April 13, the US has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the strait.

US President Donald Trump also announced “Project Freedom” in early May, vowing to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran’s insistence that any transit through the critical waterway requires its prior approval. However, he later announced a pause on the initiative. — Bernama-Anadolu