diplomacyMay 22, 2026

Iran Says 35 Ships Exited Strait Of Hormuz As Rubio Condemns Tolls

Summary

Iran Says 35 Ships Exited Strait Of Hormuz As Rubio Condemns Tolls The US blockade of the Iranian blockade is looking increasingly more porous. Iran said 35 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours in coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Iranian state broadcaster reported on Friday. The navy had already reported on Wednesday that 26 ships had passed through the strait within 24 hours. On Friday, the data provider Kpler confirmed only 10 passages on Wednesday. This represented an increase from the four passages recorded the previous day. Strait of Hormuz | Vessel Crossings— Kpler (@Kpler) May 22, 2026 Confirmed Strait of Hormuz transits rose to 10 on 20 May from four the previous day, while the IRGC Navy stated that 26 vessels were underway following coordination and approval procedures with Iranian authorities. Most movements involved… pic.twitter.com/xivkr61r14 The armed forces said the vessels included oil tankers, cargo ships and other merchant ships. Tehran has repeatedly stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is not blocked. In practice, however, shipping companies must coordinate with Iranian contact points and are then only allowed to pass through a corridor near the Iranian coast. Then they have to also obtain permission to cross the US blockade located further out in the Arabian Gulf. Iran's leadership charges high fees (paid in bitcoin) for this. International law experts said such fees violate the right of transit. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Sweden for a NATO foreign ministers meeting, condemned Iran's attempts at creating a tolling system for the strait. "I don't know of a country in the world that's in favor of it except Iran, but there's no country in the world that should accept it," he said. Rubio confirmed a previous report from Bloomberg, saying Iran was trying to convince Oman to join the tolling system "in an international waterway." He said there is a UN resolution sponsored by Bahrain and "the highest number of co-sponsors of any resolution ever before" in front of the UN Security Council, but admitted that "a couple of countries" are "thinking about vetoing it" which Rubio called "lamentable." The United States is doing all it can to prevent an Iranian toll system from being established in the strait. Such a system is "just not acceptable. It can't happen," he said. He assumed all NATO countries had backed the resolution or would do so soon. Rubio warned that if the Iranians are successful in pushing the toll system through it could happen elsewhere.

Perspectives

Iranian Official

Iran has successfully facilitated the transit of 35 ships through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, coordinated directly with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in defense of its sovereign rights, following 26 passages the day prior. This demonstrates Iran's firm resistance to US aggression and its illegal blockade further out in the Arabian Gulf, which seeks to undermine Tehran's authority over its territorial waters. All vessels, including oil tankers and cargo ships, must obtain Iranian approval and pay required fees to pass through the designated corridor near the Iranian coast.

Israeli

Iran's IRGC-coordinated transit regime through the Strait of Hormuz, complete with bitcoin tolls extracted from oil tankers and merchant vessels, underscores Tehran's determination to maintain leverage over global energy routes while bankrolling its proxy network of Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. These networks constitute an existential threat to Israel by enabling sustained missile, terror, and maritime attacks designed to encircle and weaken the Jewish state. Israel's defensive posture, including support for efforts to neutralize Iranian naval coercion in the Gulf, remains essential to prevent Tehran from translating maritime control into strategic strangulation.

Neutral

Iranian state media reported that 35 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz over a recent 24-hour period after coordinating with Iranian authorities, following an earlier claim of 26 passages. Independent tracking data from Kpler recorded substantially lower numbers, confirming 10 transits on one day versus four the day prior. US officials have condemned fees reportedly charged by Iran for such passages, which involve routing near the Iranian coast and additional permissions amid competing maritime restrictions in the area.

Western

Despite Iranian claims of 35 IRGC-coordinated transits, verified data confirms only limited passages, demonstrating the precision and effectiveness of the US-led blockade in restricting unauthorized traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary Rubio condemned Tehran's illegal bitcoin tolls as violations of transit rights designed to sustain IRGC threats. NATO-aligned forces continue targeted enforcement to neutralize Iranian attempts at maritime coercion and secure strategic sea lanes.

Pro-Peace

Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are exacting a heavy humanitarian toll, as competing blockades and unauthorized tolls disrupt critical shipping lanes, driving up global energy and food costs that hit civilians hardest. With Iran reporting coordinated passages while data shows far fewer transits and the US enforcing its own restrictions, the standoff risks escalation that endangers lives through economic fallout and supply shortages. Diplomatic talks to uphold free transit rights offer a far better path than military posturing.

Global South

Iran asserts sovereign control over the Strait of Hormuz by mandating coordination with its Revolutionary Guard and levying transit fees, countering US-led blockades that seek to dictate access to this critical chokepoint. Such measures expose neo-colonial interference by Washington and its allies, who weaponize sanctions and naval presence to undermine regional autonomy and enforce a selective "rules-based" order. Discrepancies in passage data and expert critiques of fees reveal broader institutional failures, where bodies like the UN fail to uphold Global South sovereignty against external coercion.

Actors involved

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Sources

Tyler DurdenBy Tyler Durden
Iran Says 35 Ships Exited Strait Of Hormuz As Rubio Condemns Tolls The US blockade of the Iranian blockade is looking increasingly more porous. Iran said 35 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours in coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, …

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