Iran's 'Tehran toll booth' forces some tankers to pay millions to leave Strait of Hormuz
Analysis Summary
- Propaganda Score
- 0% (confidence: 100%)
- Summary
- The article reports on Iran's implementation of a toll system for oil tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz, citing maritime data and expert analysis. It details the reduction in ship traffic post-strikes, the new route through Iranian territorial waters, and statements from Iranian officials regarding security fees. The piece also mentions Israel's actions against Iranian military personnel and Iran's proposed conditions for ending hostilities.
Fact-Check Results
“Iran is forcing oil tankers to take a new route in the Strait of Hormuz through a narrow passage controlled by its Revolutionary Guard, with some ships charged millions of dollars to transit, according to maritime data shared with NBC News.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict claims about Iran's route requirements or toll charges.
“Before the U.S. and Israel launched their bombing campaign on Feb. 28, around 110 ships were passing through the Strait of Hormuz every day, data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence shows. Since then, that number has plummeted to fewer than 10 a day, according to the London-based maritime intelligence service.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict ship traffic statistics from Lloyd's List.
“Instead of sailing down the middle of the strait, those ships are now taking a new route into Iran’s territorial waters and through a tight passage between the islands of Qeshm and Larak, Tomer Raanan, a maritime risk analyst with the Lloyds List shipping journal, told NBC News on Wednesday.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict statements about ships taking a new route through Qeshm and Larak.
“At least 25 vessels have taken the new route — which is less than 20 miles from Iran’s main naval base at the port of Bandar Abbas — since March 13, according to Lloyd’s List tracking. Among them was a Chinese tanker called Bright Gold, which made the voyage on March 23.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict claims about 25 vessels using the new route since March 13.
“Video footage posted that day to Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, by one of the Bright Gold’s crew and verified by NBC News, shows the ship passing between the two islands.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict the video footage of the Bright Gold tanker.
“Raanan said Lloyd’s List was aware of at least two ships that had made payment in Chinese yuan to cross the strait. It does not appear that Iran has yet established a consistent policy, he added.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict Lloyd's List reports on yuan payments or Iran's toll policy.
“Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said Thursday that Iran was officially charging for safe passage through the shipping channel, which is crucial to the world’s energy supply.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict the Gulf Cooperation Council's statement about Iran's toll charges.
“Iranian state media also reported that the country’s parliament was preparing legislation to formalize the toll.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict claims about Iran's parliament preparing toll legislation.
“His comments came days after Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of Iran’s national security committee, suggested on state television that a $2 million fee would demonstrate Iran’s authority over the waterway.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict Alaeddin Boroujerdi's suggestion about a $2 million fee.
“Israel said on Thursday that it had killed Alireza Tangsiri, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s naval forces and the commander responsible for mining and blockading the strait.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence found in archive to verify or contradict Israel's claim about killing Alireza Tangsiri.
“In a letter to the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres this week, Iran’s foreign ministry said the waterway remained open to 'non-hostile vessels' on the condition they act 'in coordination with the competent Iranian authorities.'”
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PENDING
“Before his death, Iran was believed to be responsible for attacking at least 18 ships in and around the Persian Gulf since the outbreak of war, according to data compiled by the International Maritime Organization.”
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PENDING
“Statements from the Iranian regime suggest that it now aims to turn its ad-hoc wartime control of the strait into a longer-term reality. On Thursday it issued five conditions it said would need to be met before it would agree to an end to the war. Among them, 'recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.'”
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PENDING