Indonesia stresses that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be guaranteed

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has asserted that freedom of navigation must be maintained in the Strait of Hormuz, especially with the potential for resuming transit activities in the area following the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

“In principle, we request that freedom of navigation be respected and in accordance with international law,” said Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) RI, Vahd Nabyl A. Mulachela, during a media briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday.

This was conveyed by Nabyl in response to demands from conflicting parties in the Persian Gulf to establish transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Nabyl, the recently agreed ceasefire between the US and Iran increasingly opens opportunities for the recovery of shipping activities in the Strait of Hormuz, which had been halted due to the conflict.

He believes that this development will have positive impacts not only for Indonesia’s interests but also for the Gulf region and the entire world.

“With this development, we hope it can evolve into a more permanent conflict resolution that benefits our interests, both in terms of freedom of navigation and for the future,” said Nabyl.

The idea of imposing transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz was raised by both Iran and the US during their war.

At the end of March, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of Iran’s parliamentary commission on national security and foreign policy, stated that his side plans to establish new shipping regulations in the Strait of Hormuz.

In these new regulations, Tehran would guarantee the security of shipping for vessels, but with the imposition of transit fees. No vessel would be able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without permission from Iran, he said.

Then, US President Donald Trump on Monday (6/4) said it would be better for the US to collect transit fees from vessels sailing through the Strait of Hormuz rather than Iran doing so.

“What if we collect the transit fees ourselves? … I think we should do it rather than them,” said Trump in response to a reporter’s question about the possibility of Iran imposing tariffs on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.