00:27A new flashpoint is emerging in the straight of her
00:29moves. And this time it's about money as much as power. Iran has now confirmed it is earning
00:36revenue directly from global shipping routes. According to Hamid Reza Hajibabai, the second
00:42deputy speaker of Iran's parliament, the first payments collected from ships transiting the
00:47straight have officially been deposited into the country's central bank. However, the exact amount
00:53has not been publicly disclosed. What we do know is this. The system is still in its early stages
00:59and the revenue so far appears limited. Earlier reports suggest that individual vessels have
01:05paid up to around two million dollars per transit, roughly one dollar per barrel for large oil
01:11tankers. At least one confirmed payment at that level has been reported. But overall collections
01:17remain modest, likely in the low millions of dollars at most, not tens or hundreds of millions
01:23of dollars. That's because traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is currently restricted.
01:28Ongoing geopolitical tensions, U.S. opposition, insurance risks and operational uncertainty have
01:35sharply reduced the number of ships willing to pass through under these conditions. Under Iran's toll
01:41framework, large tankers, especially those carrying around two million barrels of oil, could be charged
01:48between one to two million dollars per transit. Smaller vessels are believed to pay reduced or
01:54negotiated rates. Officially, Iran requires these payments in local currency, the rial, though earlier
02:01reports suggested alternative arrangements involving Chinese yuan, cryptocurrencies or other non-dollar
02:08methods. Despite the limited early returns, the long-term potential is significant. If fully scaled,
02:15some projections suggest the system could generate anywhere from 10 to 15 billion dollars annually on
02:22the conservative end, with more aggressive estimates reaching as high as 60 to 100 billion dollars
02:28based on pre-conflict shipping volumes. But those numbers remain theoretical. Right now, compliance is
02:35low and many global shipping operators are refusing to pay, citing legal risks, sanctions concerns and the
02:42principle of free navigation. The United States has strongly opposed the move, with Donald Trump calling
02:48it extortion and warning of consequences for vessels that comply. On the water, enforcement remains
02:55contested. There have been reports of ships being turned back, intercepted or escorted by Iranian forces,
03:02including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran, however, is doubling down. Officials describe the
03:09Strait of the Strait of Hormuz as a red line, central to its country's sovereignty and strategy, especially
03:15as it looks to offset sanctions and economic pressure. For now, the confirmed deposit marks a symbolic
03:22milestone, proof that the system is active. But in reality, the scale is limited, the risks are high, and the
03:29future of
03:30this toll system depends on how the broader geopolitical standoff unfolds. One thing is clear, Iran is not just
03:37asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz, it is attempting to monetize it. And in one of the world's most
03:43critical energy corridors, even small shifts like this can have global consequences.
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