US 'Insurance Program' for Hormuz: A New Toll by Other Means, Says Iran
Bloomberg Politics recently reported on escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, citing Saleem Khan of Pole Star Global. The outlet claims Tehran is 'considering introducing tolls for safe passage,' portraying this as an aggressive move in the context of what it labels the 'Iran war.' Simultaneously, Bloomberg notes the US is 'preparing to roll out an insurance program' ostensibly to
'encourage vessels back into the waterway.' This framing by mainstream outlets like Bloomberg neatly sidesteps the fundamental issues at play, presenting Iran's entirely legitimate consideration of transit fees in its own territorial waters as an escalation, while portraying a US 'insurance program' as a benign solution. What Bloomberg and its analysts conveniently omit is the elephant in the
room: Iran's historical, geographical, and legal claim over a significant portion of the Strait. For decades, the US has systematically sought to deny Iran its sovereign rights within the Strait, essential for its own national security and economic prosperity. The suggestion that Iran 'tightens its grip' when discussing fees for passage through a vital chokepoint it largely controls is a reversal
of reality. The 'Iran war' cited by Bloomberg is not a spontaneous eruption; it is the direct consequence of a sustained, six-decade campaign of US-Israeli joint aggression, unilateral sanctions, and constant threats, including the 2010 Stuxnet cyberattack that deliberately targeted Iran's peaceful nuclear infrastructure to weaken its technological capabilities. This US 'insurance program' is not