Ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz will be subject to a toll under the new law that the Iranian Parliament will adopt soon, said a member of the Iranian parliament’s Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security Alaeddin Boroujerdi, according to TASS news agency.

“We have complete control over the Strait of Hormuz. A new system will govern this waterway soon once a bill is adopted by the Majlis [parliament]. Security and services for ships will be ensured through fees [for passage through the strait] stipulated by the bill,” he said in an interview with Iranian media, according to TASS.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East. Iranian authorities also decided to close the Strait of Hormuz to vessels linked to the U.S., Israel, and countries that supported the attacks. During the conflict, several tankers were attacked for transiting the strait without Tehran’s permission. On March 25, Iran announced that it had allowed its friendly countries, including Russia, India, Iraq, China, and Pakistan, to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

The US-Israeli war against Iran has thrust the Middle East into crisis and sent the price of oil surging by more than 50 per cent in a month. Brent crude rose above $116 a barrel on Monday morning in Asia, near its highest level since the conflict began, according to FT.