Iran to regulate Strait of Hormuz traffic with new fee system

Iran is preparing to introduce a new mechanism to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi on Saturday, May 16.

Azizi said the system would manage vessel movement through a designated shipping route and would be unveiled soon. He added that only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran would benefit from the arrangement.

In a post on X, Azizi said Iran had developed the mechanism “within the framework of its national sovereignty and the guarantee of international trade security”.

He said specialised services provided under the system would involve the collection of fees, without detailing the structure or amount of the charges.

“The route will remain closed to the operators of the so-called ‘freedom project’,” Azizi wrote, without clarifying which countries or entities he was referring to.

Iranian officials have in recent weeks repeatedly spoken about a “new maritime regime” in the strategically important waterway, through which a large share of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass.

Reports have also suggested Tehran is considering a broader transit approval and toll system linked to a newly established body known as the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, connecting the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and serving as a major route for global crude exports.

Pakistan interior minister visits Iran amid US talks push

Pakistan interior minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Iran for a two-day visit aimed at helping facilitate stalled talks between Tehran and Washington, according to Iranian media.

Naqvi is expected to hold discussions with Iranian officials as Pakistan continues mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.

The visit comes after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had received signals that the administration of Donald Trump remains open to negotiations.

Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon kills one, injures another

Israeli artillery shelling in southern Lebanon killed one person and injured another, according to National News Agency.

The agency said the shelling targeted the area around the Sarbin junction in southern Lebanon, causing casualties in the attack.

Iran says European countries in talks over Hormuz transit

Iranian state television reported on Saturday that European countries were holding talks with Tehran regarding the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the report, negotiations are taking place with the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps over transit permissions.

“Following the passage of ships from East Asian countries notably China, Japan and Pakistan, we received information today indicating that Europeans have also begun negotiations with the Revolutionary Guards navy,” state television said, according to AFP.

Fire breaks out at engine oil plant in northwestern Iran

A fire broke out at an engine oil plant in northwestern Iran on Saturday, according to Reuters citing Iran’s Mehr news agency.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the incident.

Pezeshkian says ‘there are no hardliners or moderates’ in Iran

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said there are no “hardliners” or “moderates” in Iran, stressing national unity amid heightened tensions.

In a post on X, Pezeshkian said: “We are all Iranians and revolutionaries.”He added that Iran, through “ironclad unity” between the nation and the state and “obedience to the Supreme Leader”, would make “the aggressor regret”.

“One God, one nation, one leader, one path; victory for Iran, dearer than life,” he wrote.

IDF claims strikes on 100 Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon

In a post on X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a 24-hour operational update that Hezbollah launched hostile aircraft, mortar shells and explosive drones that landed near areas where Israeli soldiers were operating in southern Lebanon.

The IDF said it also carried out strikes on around 100 Hezbollah targets across several locations in southern Lebanon, including observation posts, a weapons storage facility and other infrastructure sites in the Tyre region.

Iran says it will no longer allow military supplies through Hormuz

Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Iran would no longer allow military equipment intended for use against the country to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Aref said the “enemy” had targeted Iran’s economy and scientific infrastructure during the recent war in an attempt to weaken the country, including deliberate strikes on the steel and petrochemical sectors.

He said Iran had resisted those efforts due to the “steadfastness of fighters” and the presence of government officials and the public “in the field”.

Aref also claimed that one of the outcomes of the recent conflict was the imposition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and the breaking of what he described as “American hegemony”.

At least 78 commercial ships redirected near Strait of Hormuz

In a post on X, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said a US Army helicopter monitored commercial vessels while flying over regional waters near the Strait of Hormuz during enforcement of the maritime blockade against Iran.

CENTCOM said that as of May 16, “78 commercial ships have been redirected, and 4 have been disabled to ensure compliance.”

Hezbollah rejects ‘American guardianship’

Hezbollah said it rejects “dictates, pressures, or American guardianship” that undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty.

In a statement, the group urged Lebanese authorities to stop making concessions and work to end Israeli attacks “completely and permanently”.

Hezbollah also said the “Zionist occupation will not be established on our land as long as there is resistance and honourable, free people.”

Trump admin divided on Iran approach

Officials within the administration of Donald Trump are divided over how to deal with Iran, according to ɓ citing informed sources.

The report said some Trump administration and Pentagon officials support targeted strikes, while others favour diplomacy.

A White House spokesperson told CNN that Trump “has all the available options”, but diplomacy remains his preferred choice.

“The president will only accept an agreement that protects our national security,” the spokesperson added.