Trump's envoys head to Doha as Iran pushes toll plan for Strait of Hormuz shipping

What Happened

On Tuesday, President Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Doha, Qatar, for US-Iran negotiations mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, focusing on the Strait of Hormuz governance and Iran's nuclear program. The two envoys were scheduled to meet senior Qatari officials, not Iranian counterparts, while separate technical teams from the US and Iran would meet with mediators on Wednesday. A central dispute is Iran's insistence that all vessels transiting the strait pay mandatory fees, contrasting with Oman's proposal for optional 'special service fees' that align closer to the US stance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed opposition to any transit fees. Iran has declared it will begin collecting fees after a 60-day negotiation period, frustrated that most ships currently use Omani waters. A Western diplomat and a source told The Jerusalem Post that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) deployed naval assets and launched at least six drones daily, leading to two vessels being struck. In response, the US military conducted strikes against Iranian military targets along the strait. On Monday, Iran and Oman held an inaugural joint committee meeting, but Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned that Iran would proceed unilaterally if no joint governance framework is established.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies; any imposition of transit fees or unilateral Iranian control threatens freedom of navigation and risks a direct US-Iran military confrontation. The dispute intersects with ongoing nuclear negotiations and broader regional tensions, with potential to disrupt international shipping and escalate proxy conflicts.

Watch For

Monitor the nearing end of Iran's 60-day negotiation period for toll collection; outcomes from the US and Iranian technical team meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators; any unilateral Iranian fee implementation; further IRGC naval and drone deployments; US military posture and possible additional strikes; and follow-up from the Iran-Oman joint committee on governance.