As of October 8, 2026, the reporting does not establish a confirmed Iranian reason for preferring yuan, a published tariff, or a settled rule for paying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. What it does show is that two different yuan-related claims circulated in 2026. The first is a condition that a limited number of tankers could pass if their oil cargo was traded in Chinese yuan. The second is reporting that some vessels paid passage fees in yuan. These are separate claims, and treating them as one policy would overstate what is known.
This article separates the two claims, sets out the official statements in date order, explains how Iran’s wording shifted, and covers the legal and sanctions questions that matter to anyone whose business touches shipping, insurance, or fuel.
Two yuan claims, not one
The first claim concerns what currency the oil is traded in. The second concerns how a passage fee is paid. A vessel could in principle be affected by one without the other, and the reporting does not show that either arrangement has been applied to a specific voyage in a documented way.
| Claim | Who made it or who reported it | Date | Type of source | Evidence of implementation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limited tanker passage considered if the oil cargo is traded in yuan | A senior Iranian official speaking to CNN Iran, as reported by Anadolu Agency | March 14, 2026 | Media report of an official’s remarks, not a published Iranian policy document | None shown; described as under consideration |
| Some vessels paid passage fees in yuan | Associated Press reporting that at least two vessels reportedly paid the equivalent of $2 million in yuan after giving crew and cargo details to intermediaries | 2026 (AP report) | Media report of reported payments | Reported payments only; not a published rate |
| Fees of up to $2 million per transit, paid in yuan | Euronews reporting, which also stressed that no official tariff had been published | 2026 (Euronews report) | Media report of reported amounts | Not a published tariff or proof of a uniform system |
The yuan cargo condition is the claim that most directly answers the question in the title, and it is also the weakest in terms of documentation. Anadolu’s report is the earliest direct account found, and it describes a proposal under consideration. The fee reporting is more concrete about payments, but it describes amounts paid, not a rule that every ship must follow.
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Why yuan, and how much of the reason is known
The reporting does not contain an official explanation for choosing yuan. Anadolu framed the cargo condition as part of Tehran’s plan to manage tanker flows, which describes the purpose of the idea but not the currency choice itself. Nothing in the reporting says whether yuan was chosen for convenience, for political reasons, or to reduce reliance on dollar clearing.
Reduced dependence on dollar channels is a plausible reading, and it is offered here as analysis rather than as an Iranian explanation. Readers should treat it as an inference from the choice of currency, not as a stated motive.
Official positions, in date order
Iran’s public position moved over several months, and other governments were also asked about the issue. The table below records each statement with its speaker and the source that reported it.
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| Date | Speaker and source | What was said |
|---|---|---|
| March 14, 2026 | Unnamed senior Iranian official, as reported by Anadolu Agency after remarks to CNN Iran | Limited tanker passage was being considered if the oil cargo was traded in Chinese yuan. |
| April 9, 2026 | Yang Ghi-wuk, South Korea’s deputy minister for trade, industry and resource security, as quoted by Yonhap | “There has been no request from Iran for transit fees or payments.” He said it was too early to determine whether Iran would charge fees. This records Seoul’s position on that date; it does not show whether other governments or vessels had been approached. |
| May 18, 2026 | Euronews, reporting an Iranian announcement | Iran had announced the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to manage transits and collect fees. Applicants were to submit vessel, ownership, insurance, crew, cargo and routing information, then obtain approval and pay. The report said no official tariff had been published. |
| May 25, 2026 | Esmaeil Baqaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, as reported by Tasnim | “Iran does not collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz.” He added that services and environmental protection could carry costs, and that Iran and Oman were working on a safe-passage protocol. |
| July 5, 2026 | Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iran’s ambassador to China, as quoted by Al Jazeera | “As a country where the Hormuz is part of its territorial waters, we will definitely charge service fees.” He said China and other friendly countries could receive special considerations, and described the arrangements as covering security, supervision of vessel passage, and environmental consequences. |
From “tolls” to “service fees”
The May and July statements use different vocabulary. In May, Iran rejected the idea of tolls while leaving open that services and environmental protection could have costs. In July, its ambassador said service fees would be charged. The reporting does not explain what legal or practical distinction Iran intends between a toll and a service fee.
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The shift should be read as a change in official framing. It is not evidence of a published fee schedule, a list of covered services, or a set of amounts. The May 18 Euronews report found no published tariff, and the reporting reviewed for this article does not show one published afterward.
The legal dispute
Euronews describes the transit-passage principle in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as protecting uninterrupted passage for international shipping. It also notes that Iran signed UNCLOS but did not ratify it. Associated Press reporting sets out the convention’s passage guarantees and quotes maritime-law specialists who argue that customary passage rights still matter even for states that have not ratified the treaty.
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These are legal arguments made in reporting, not a court or tribunal ruling. Whether the proposed charges are lawful depends on how transit passage, customary law, and Iran’s treaty status are weighed, and the reporting does not settle that question. Readers should attribute each position to the commentator who made it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sanctions and payment risk
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued an alert dated May 1, 2026, warning of sanctions risks tied to Iranian demands for Strait of Hormuz passage. The alert is a primary US government source, but this article does not summarize its detailed guidance. Read the alert directly on the OFAC website, and check current sanctions rules before acting on anything described here.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Settling a payment in yuan should not be assumed to remove sanctions exposure. The currency of a payment and the sanctions status of the payee or activity are separate questions. The practical steps below reflect general compliance practice rather than anything stated in the reporting.
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- Do not pay any demanded passage fee until qualified sanctions counsel has reviewed the payee, the purpose, and the current OFAC guidance.
- Do not treat a yuan settlement as a compliance answer in itself.
- Ask for written identification of the authority that is collecting the money and the legal basis for the charge.
- Keep records of every request, intermediary, and payment instruction, including the information a vessel was asked to provide.
What remains unknown as of October 8, 2026
- Whether the yuan cargo condition has ever been applied to a specific voyage. The reporting describes it as under consideration.
- Whether a published tariff exists. The Euronews report of May 18, 2026 said none had been published, and the reporting reviewed does not show one since.
- How the Persian Gulf Strait Authority has operated since its announcement. Its status beyond the May 18 report is not documented in the reporting reviewed.
- Whether Iran and Oman reached a final safe-passage agreement. Tasnim reported on May 25, 2026 that the two countries were working on one; no final agreement is verified.
- Which governments or vessels have been approached. The South Korean statement is dated April 9, 2026 and covers only Seoul.
What this means for readers managing money
Most households are not parties to these arrangements. Any effect runs indirectly through shipping, insurance, and fuel. The reporting does not quantify any effect on fuel or consumer prices, so any price impact should be treated as unestablished.
If you work with a shipping, trading, or insurance business, the compliance exposure described above is the item to raise with advisers. Any offer to arrange passage for a fee through an intermediary raises the same sanctions questions and should be verified independently before any money moves.
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