However, international observers fear that the deal, which Iran is uncharacteristically enthusiastic about, could concede to Tehran unprecedented authority to charge for transit through the strait. People spend time at a beach as commercial vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, off Bandar Abbas, Iran. It is vital that we continue supporting the preservation of freedom of navigation as the foundation of international maritime governance.” AdvertisementThe letter was also addressed to International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. “Negotiations regarding arrangements for vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz are purely Iranian-Omani and have no connection to the United States.”