Active Iran Transit restriction

Iran Exempts Ships From China, India, Iraq, and Qatar From Hormuz Restrictions

Iran has exempted commercial vessels from China, India, Iraq, and Qatar from transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a senior Iranian lawmaker. Amir Hayat Moghadam stated that the exemptions were granted based on mutual interests and strategic considerations. Tehran is charging transit fees to Chinese and Indian vessels, while Qatari ships are allowed to transit without payment.

Published November 5, 2026 Source: The New Indian Express

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中文 Chinese version
العربية Automatic translation

Affected country: Iran
Location / route: Strait of Hormuz
Official source: Google News — China Dubai business
Published by source: November 4, 2026 10:26 PM CST
Effective period: November 3, 2026 12:00 AM CST
Last verified: November 5, 2026 4:17 AM CST
Status: Active

Official guidance

Commercial vessels flagged or operating from China, India, Iraq, and Qatar are permitted to transit the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions, subject to transit fees for Chinese and Indian vessels.

Summary of official information. Always check the official source and follow the guidance of the authorities. UECN does not issue risk ratings; the absence of an alert does not mean that a destination is safe.

Illustration

Iran has exempted commercial vessels from four countries—China, India, Iraq, and Qatar—from transit restrictions currently enforced in the Strait of Hormuz, The New Indian Express reported, citing the Press Trust of India.

Amir Hayat Moghadam, Deputy Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, announced the measure during an interview with the semi-official Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) on Tuesday. Moghadam said ships from the four nations are permitted to pass freely through the strategic waterway and added that United States forces are not intercepting them.

According to Moghadam, the exemptions were granted on the basis of specific considerations and mutual interests. He explained that facilitating Indian merchant traffic is intended to secure medicine supplies from India, while the exemption for Chinese vessels is aimed at maintaining political backing from Beijing.

Moghadam clarified that Iran collects transit fees from Indian and Chinese ships, whereas Qatari vessels are permitted passage without charges. He did not specify whether transit fees apply to Iraqi ships.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and typically carries approximately 20 percent of global energy supplies. Passage through the corridor has faced severe disruption following strikes launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, which triggered retaliatory actions and subsequent transit restrictions.